Guide
Virginia Expungement Research Resources
Virginia has expungement of some charges under Code chapter 23.1 and record sealing, automatic or by petition, under chapter 23.2. The official Virginia sources are listed below.
- Virginia State Police, Sealing of Criminal RecordsAutomatic and petition-based sealing information
- Virginia State Crime Commission, Sealing of Criminal RecordsLegislative agency resources on the sealing law
- Code of Virginia Chapter 23.1Expungement of criminal records
- Code of Virginia Chapter 23.2Sealing of criminal history record information and court 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 Virginia
Va. Code 17.1-208(B) opens divorce files on the same terms as other circuit court records. Va. Code 17.1-208(B) opens the records in the clerk's office to inspection by any person, and 17.1-292 defines the confidential court records that are withheld as those recognized as confidential under any applicable law or sealed pursuant to court order. A divorce suit falls in neither group on its own.
A party who wants a document or the file withheld moves the circuit court to seal it, and the sealing order is what makes the record confidential under 17.1-292. The court decides whether the showing made justifies sealing. The definitions are at law.lis.virginia.gov.
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