How long does it take to have a criminal record expunged in Illinois?

Answer 1

Getting a record expunged/sealed is a process, sometime taking between 3 to 6 months to get completed. Of course this depends on different factors such as the type of crime it was. Illinois has different packets for different levels of crime so it depends on which procedure you have to do. You also have to be fingerprinted and have certified copies of your final disposition, which this can take a some time to get depending on whether you live in the area where you got your conviction or not. Once you file your application the time it takes also depends on the court the application is going to. A good general time frame is usually 3 to 6 months.

Answer 2

It varies from charge to charge, and some charges can never be expunged. It also depends upon the outcome. For a dismissed case or a not guilty, the record is eligible to be cleared immediately. For cases with a supervision, it can be from two to five years after the supervision. Please see the related link below for more information.

There is also something called Expedited Criminal Database Update(ECDU), which is sometimes needed if you want your expungement to take the effect immediately(sometimes it takes up to a year for them to update your record).

Answer 3

Expungement is NOT an automatic process. Unless you are referring to a specific expungement hearing that was conducted at your request, records are not altered without specific court orders.