Virginia's law, effective July 1, 2026, establishes an automatic sealing process for certain criminal offenses. The Department of State Police will identify eligible cases monthly and share this information with the Supreme Court and circuit court clerks to facilitate sealing. This process aims to streamline the expungement of qualifying convictions or deferred dispositions after a specified period.
The process becomes effective on July 1, 2026, and will be implemented through monthly reviews by the Department of State Police.
Eligible offenses are those with an offense date on or after January 1, 1986, that meet criteria set forth in Virginia law, excluding certain charges like traffic infractions.
The Department of State Police will identify eligible offenses monthly and share the list electronically with the Supreme Court and circuit court clerks for sealing procedures.
No, the process is automatic for qualifying offenses, eliminating the need for individuals to file petitions for sealing.