Guide
Connecticut Expungement Research Resources
Connecticut calls record relief erasure: Clean Slate erases some convictions automatically, and an absolute pardon erases the adult criminal record. The official Connecticut sources are listed below.
- Clean Slate ConnecticutAutomatic erasure of some convictions; others need a petition
- Board of Pardons and Paroles, Pardon FAQsAn absolute pardon erases the Connecticut adult criminal record
- General Statutes Chapter 961a, Criminal RecordsSection 54-142a, erasure of criminal records
This directory is for informational and research use only. Expungement eligibility, waiting periods, filing fees, notice rules, and the effect on background checks can differ significantly depending on the state, offense level, case outcome, and later law changes.
Guide
Sealing a divorce or civil file in Connecticut
Connecticut keeps family files open and seals by order, except that sworn financial affidavits are sealed automatically. Section 25-59A of the Connecticut Practice Book governs the sealing of files and the limiting of disclosure of documents in family matters, including the sworn Financial Affidavit that section 25-30 requires, and section 11-20A is the counterpart for civil matters. A party moves the Superior Court, the court decides what the public interest in access must yield to and enters an order no broader than needed, and the clerk withholds what the order names.
Outside a sealing order the judgment of dissolution, the incorporated separation agreement and the financial orders are read at the clerk's office of the judicial district where the case was heard, while the Financial Affidavit stays under the automatic seal of section 25-59A(h) until a hearing on disputed financial issues ends that seal or the court unseals it. The Department of Public Health's statement that decrees are held by the Superior Court is at portal.ct.gov/dph.
Guide
Research Notes
- Start with the court and the originating agency. Expungement or sealing requests are often handled through the court that heard the case, sometimes with supporting records from police, prosecutors, or corrections agencies.
- Terminology differs by state. Some jurisdictions use terms such as sealing, set-aside, vacatur, dismissal relief, or nondisclosure instead of expungement.
- Verify current law. Eligibility rules can change through legislation or court decisions, so always confirm the current process before relying on older instructions or third-party summaries.
- Understand downstream effects. Even after record relief, treatment of court, police, private-background check, and federal records may differ depending on the system involved.
By state