How To Remove a Court Case From Public Record
Need to remove a court case from the public record? This guide explains your options.
Everyone makes mistakes. But imagine if your biggest mistake was the first result on Google when someone searched your name. We bet you’d start researching how to remove court cases from the internet and repair your reputation pretty fast.
In an age when your career, dating prospects, creditworthiness, and reputation score can be destroyed by your online reputation, protecting your privacy is essential. Your internet footprint can be devastating, so add opting out of personal-information-aggregating websites like Whitepages and MyLife to your to-do list.
The last thing you want is a petty juvenile offense or case where the charges were dropped, haunting you forever. For example, you may be dealing with an ancient mistake, like a DUI from your college days, and expungement may be available if you were not convicted.
Can You Get a Court Case Sealed or Expunged?
If you are seeing a sudden influx of negative results online, several options can help.
One option is to file a petition with the court to have the case record sealed or expunged, if you’re eligible. The judge will decide your eligibility based on several factors, such as:
- Severity of the crime or conviction
- Type of record (civil or criminal)
- The case disposition
- Whether the public is entitled to know the contents of the record (sex offenders, etc.)
- How old the record is
If the records you want to expunge are 30 years old and for a minor offense, you’re more likely to get your request granted than if you were arrested and charged a few weeks ago.
If sealing or expungement isn’t an option, consider a reputation management strategy. We can help you create a positive online reputation, even if you’re starting from zero or rebounding from reputational damage. Call us at 941-259-4554 for more information.
What Is a Court Record or Court File?
A court record is any official court case or legal system record, including evidence, witness statements, trial transcripts, and other documents collected during legal actions. Typically, the county Clerk of Courts collects and maintains a court record.
Types of Court Records
- Appeals and Supreme Court Decisions: High-ranking court rulings on cases
- Bankruptcy Records: Any cases filed under bankruptcy laws
- Civil Case Records: Custody battles, disputes, divorce cases, small claims, and similar lawsuits
- Criminal Records: Criminal case information related to arrests, charges, convictions, parole, probation, sentencing, and trials
- Family Court Records: Cases regarding adoption, alimony, child custody, and divorce
- Probate Records: Estates, guardianship cases, and wills
- Traffic Court Records: Information about DUIs, speeding tickets, and other traffic violations
Why Should I Remove Online Court Records?
Although it may feel like an infringement of your privacy, you do not own the information in your public records.
Many federal laws, including the First Amendment and the Freedom of Information Act, support making court records public information. Individual state public records laws also apply.
However, the law includes exceptions. You must prove that your right to privacy outweighs the public’s right and/or need to access your records, and a judge may also consider public welfare and rehabilitation when deciding your request.
Courts will deny requests to delete public court records if a sex offender registry currently lists you, in the interest of public safety. Likewise, arrests for murder or grand larceny make it difficult to remove your public records.
In these cases, the public’s right to know outweighs your right to privacy.
Our clients come to us when they need to remove or suppress online court records, including criminal records and expunged records that are still showing up in Google search results. Call us at 941-259-4554 to learn more.
Why Is Old Information Showing at the Top of Google?
Many people who experience this problem ask, “There’s plenty of other information about me; why do court records rank so highly on Google?”
This happens for a variety of reasons, all tied to Google’s algorithms. Google’s No. 1 goal is to deliver the information you’re searching for in as few clicks as possible. To make sure users get the right information fast, they take into account information like the following:
Domain Authority
Every website has a certain level of authority or consumer trust on Google. It’s exactly like citing sources back in school.
Sites like CNN, HubSpot, and Forbes are “primary” sources because they are trusted, whereas a random, unheard-of website is barely a blip on the radar.
Court cases and public court records rank so highly because the third-party sites hosting them have high domain authority, such as:
These are just a few third-party sites that collect public court records from courts, government offices, law enforcement agencies, and other legal professionals for the public to browse. When you research how to remove public court documents and open public records online, remember that you’ll need to address each site individually.
Traffic
Clicks are a top ranking factor on Google. If people consistently click a link, it can improve rankings. This is because more traffic indicates higher relevancy.
Unfortunately, people are much more likely to click on a court record result in Google search results than a LinkedIn profile. Public records, especially those related to a crime, are more interesting than a basic overview of a person’s work history.
External Links
Press releases and other blog sites often appear below court record results because of backlinks.
As mentioned above, domain authority is a primary source, and backlinks tend to cite those highly regarded sources. When sites write articles and link back to a public record, it adds credibility. It also proves that the court record is a useful document. This results in a feedback loop.
If enough people link to a court record, it gives their article authority while verifying the court document’s legitimacy.
What Are My Options To Remove Court Records?
Now that you understand why negative results appear when people search for your name, it’s time to learn how to fix it. You can choose from two methods to remove court records and other public records from internet searches. The best option depends on your specific circumstances.
If you qualify, file a motion to expunge or seal your court records, generally in the original court using the required forms. The exact steps vary by state. In many jurisdictions, you must wait until after completing your sentence before applying. Courts also often require filing fees when you submit the petition or motion.
Option One: Complete Removal
This is the ideal scenario, and you should aim for it if possible. To completely remove your court records from the internet, file a motion to expunge or seal them. Sealing keeps the court file out of public view, while expungement removes case information from court records; law enforcement can still access sealed records, which remain protected rather than destroyed.
After filing, a judge decides whether to grant your request. The exact steps vary by state, but, generally speaking, you can typically expunge two types of cases:
Civil Court Records
Civil court records include:
- Trade secrets
- Patents
- Settlement agreements
- Divorce decrees
- Medical records
If you are eligible, a judge is much more likely to seal civil records on request than criminal records because it’s easier for attorneys to show that your right to privacy outweighs the public’s right to know.
Criminal Court Records and Criminal Records
Criminal court records include:
- Arrest records
- Mugshots
- Penal code violations
- Trial transcripts
- Case numbers
Unless the criminal case is very old, minor, or occurred when you were a minor, courts probably won’t expunge it; whether you were convicted also matters, because dismissed charges and acquittals are generally easier to seal or expunge than convictions, and relief often depends on the specific offenses, including some misdemeanors and felonies. If you can show it endangers your personal safety or materially harms your career, that may help.
For instance, if you committed a crime under duress and the abusive party can find you through public records, this endangers you and your family.
Another example would be if you were caught in possession of marijuana at age 19. Say the state arrested and tried you as an adult, even though you caused no harm to anyone and are now an upstanding citizen. In Arizona, expungement covers only marijuana-related cases, and you may qualify if the court didn’t convict you.
In most cases, if you want to work in the banking or medical field, a criminal case could keep you from getting a job.
How To Improve Your Chances of Having Court Records Removed Under State Law
You can improve your chances of having your records expunged or sealed by limiting your request. For instance, ask the judge to seal certain documents or sections instead of the whole record.
For example, you may want to seal an employment case because it’s scaring off potential employers.
You may also seal all documents about your medical conditions because the law considers that information protected and private.
If you successfully seal or expunge your court records, some third-party sites will automatically remove them — but not all — and some sealed cases may still appear in court indices. You will likely still need to petition each site to remove your information and notify them of the order.
Only specific people can access sealed records, typically with court permission, and law enforcement or certain agencies may still be able to view them in some circumstances.
If they do not remove the records despite a valid court order, speak to an attorney.
And remember, removing court records from these sites does not guarantee their complete removal from the internet. Especially if your court case attracted a lot of publicity, the information can still be available on social media or in news reports.
InternetReputation.com provides the information and services you need to suppress court records online and protect your digital presence. Get started with a free online reputation analysis by calling 941-259-4554 today.
Option Two: Online Reputation Management
If the judge denies your request to seal or expunge your records from web pages and search engines, the next best option is search engine suppression.
Based on what we covered earlier about how the Google algorithm works, suppressing court records essentially reverses the process. By regularly creating your own optimized positive content, you can get it to rank highly on Google and push down negative content. Like with anything that ranks on Google, use keywords, backlinks, and other SEO methods to drive traffic and clicks.
Less than 10% of people go to the second page of Google, so to succeed, you must move the records down to 11th place at the very least.
Over time, with enough content and consistent online posting, you should be able to bury past negative results with positive ones. When courts won’t remove your court records from public access, this is the next best option.
FAQ About Removing Court Cases From the Public Record
How can I find court cases on the internet?
To find court cases online, go to Google or a legal database and search by case name or citation.
How do I remove a court case from the internet?
Removing a court case from the internet can be extremely difficult. Your first step should be to ask the original website (s) that published it to remove the information. It’s best to have an ORM company or content removal expert do this for you.
How long does it take to remove a case from a website?
It depends on the website. Some websites remove cases quickly, while others take longer.
What are the consequences of removing a case from a website?
The consequences of removing a case from a website depend on the website’s terms of service. If the website removes the case, the most common result is that other users or the public may no longer be able to access it. In some jurisdictions, automatic record relief laws may automatically seal eligible cases, which can limit disclosure without fully erasing the underlying record.
How do I remove a case from the court system?
If the case is civil, removing or limiting access to the case record usually requires filing in court under the applicable rules. If the case is criminal, a motion to seal typically requires a hearing rather than a motion to quash or suppress evidence.
What happens if I remove a court case from my credit report?
If you remove the court case, your credit score may go up. This can improve your credit history. Removing a court case from your credit report will not erase the debt associated with that case.
What are the benefits of removing a court case from the internet?
Removing a court case from the internet offers several benefits. It can save the parties involved time and money. It can help to preserve relationships between the parties involved. It can also improve the court system’s efficiency.
Online Reputation Management Firms Can Help Get Your Court Records Removed
Don’t you have the time, inclination, or tech know-how to start an SEO campaign? You can always seek professional help from online reputation management firms that specialize in reshaping Google search results.
At InternetReputation.com, we provide online reputation management information to individuals and businesses who want to create, grow, or repair their digital presence. Whether you’re prioritizing your personal or professional online reputation, our advice, services, and team of experts can help. Before filing anything, consult an attorney because state law varies widely. In Maryland, certain misdemeanors may qualify for shielding through the district or superior court, and you can file a one-time petition for up to 12 convictions. In New Hampshire, waiting periods vary by offense class, and you must complete every sentence requirement before annulment. If a court never convicted you, you may have stronger expungement options. In some situations, executive clemency can later support an expungement petition.
Contact us today or call 941-259-4554 to learn how to quickly remove court cases from the internet and protect your online reputation! For more information about our services, visit us here.
