Can Legal Aid Help Seal or Expunge a Criminal Record in Ohio?

What is the difference between sealing and expungement?

Ohio law distinguishes between record sealing and expungement. A sealed record still exists but is generally hidden from most public background checks. Expungement provides a different and, for eligible records, more complete form of relief. Not every offense or case outcome qualifies for either remedy.

Ohio Legal Help notes that major changes beginning in 2023 expanded eligibility for many Ohioans. Because record-clearing laws have changed over time, someone who was told “no” years ago may want to check again under current law. See the current statewide guide at Ohio Legal Help.

How do I know whether my record qualifies?

You need the details for every relevant case: the court, case number, charge, level of offense, disposition, sentence-completion or final-discharge date and whether any case is still open. Eligibility can be affected by the type and degree of conviction, the age of a victim, protection-order or domestic-violence offenses, sex-offender registration requirements and other statutory exclusions.

Do not rely only on what appears in a commercial background-check report. Start with the actual court dockets. Ohio Legal Help offers a criminal-sealing eligibility interview and instructions for finding Ohio criminal records.

Where can I get free help?

Your regional civil legal-aid organization may offer record-sealing clinics or individual assistance. Ohio Legal Help also lists Opportunity Port, which connects Ohio residents with free assistance for eligible sealing and expungement applications through participating service providers.

Use the Ohio Legal Aid Directory to identify your regional program and the county directory to find the court where your case was filed.

What does the filing process usually involve?

If a case is eligible, the application is generally filed in the court where the charge was handled. Courts may use different forms for convictions and non-convictions. Ohio Legal Help reports that there is no filing fee to seal a dismissal, not-guilty result or no-bill charge, while the filing fee to seal a conviction cannot exceed $50; a poverty affidavit may be available if the fee cannot be paid upfront.

A hearing may be scheduled. The prosecutor can object, and the judge applies the current statutory standards. If you have records in multiple courts, the process can become more complicated.

Why consider legal help?

Record-clearing rules are highly fact-specific. A legal-aid lawyer or clinic can help identify the correct cases, spot exclusions, organize the filings and explain whether sealing, expungement or another remedy may be available. For general court-navigation information, also review How Ohio Courts Work.

Will sealing remove a case from every database?

Not necessarily. A court order changes the legal status and public accessibility of an eligible record, but commercial background-reporting companies may not update instantly. Ohio Legal Help advises contacting legal aid if a commercial background-check company continues to report a record that has been sealed. Keep certified or file-stamped copies of the court’s order so you can document what the court actually decided.

Also remember that certain government agencies, licensing authorities and employers may still be permitted to see sealed records in circumstances defined by law. Sealing can be extremely valuable, but it is not the same as pretending the underlying case never existed for every legal purpose.

Frequently asked questions