Guide
Florida Expungement Research Resources
In Florida the first step is a Certificate of Eligibility from FDLE, and a record gets relief only after FDLE receives a certified court order. The official Florida sources are listed below.
- FDLE, Seal and Expunge ProcessApply for a Certificate of Eligibility before going to court
- Florida Statutes 943.0585Court-ordered expunction of criminal history records
- Florida Statutes 943.059Court-ordered sealing of criminal history 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 Florida
Rule 2.420 does not list divorce files or the Family Law Financial Affidavit among the records that are confidential automatically. Rule 2.420(a) of the Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration provides that the public shall have access to all records of the judicial branch of government except as the rule provides, and the records made confidential automatically under Rule 2.420(d)(1)(B), such as adoption, juvenile and certain mental health records and information protected by statute, do not include dissolution files. Family Law Rule 12.400(a), on confidentiality of records and proceedings, sends a family case to the same procedure, and Rule 12.400(d) adds a conditional sealing of the financial information required by Rule 12.285 where access to it would likely subject a party to abuse, such as use by third parties for purposes unrelated to governmental or judicial accountability, after which the information is disclosed only to a person who shows a need for it on those grounds.
That procedure is in Rule 2.420(c)(9) and (e). A party files a written motion captioned Motion to Determine Confidentiality of Court Records, and the court may make records confidential only to the extent necessary to prevent a serious and imminent threat to the fair, impartial and orderly administration of justice, protect trade secrets, protect a compelling governmental interest, obtain evidence to determine legal issues, avoid substantial injury to innocent third parties, avoid substantial injury to a party by disclosure of matters protected by a common law or privacy right not generally inherent in the specific type of proceeding sought to be closed, or comply with established public policy set forth in the Florida or United States Constitution or statutes or Florida rules or case law. The degree, duration and manner of confidentiality must be no broader than necessary, and the order is itself a public record. The rule is at marioncountyclerk.org.
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