Criminal Record Relief Practice

The Moran Center’s record relief services are free to all individuals with a Cook County record.

Any time that someone is taken into custody by law enforcement, a record of that event is created. A criminal record serves as a history of a person’s arrests and convictions and can include incident reports, arrests, and/or convictions. 

Petitions to expunge or seal a Cook County criminal case may be filed at any Cook County Courthouse. Outside of Cook County, petitions are filed at the courthouse where the case was litigated.  There is a filing fee to expunge or seal a criminal record. A person who cannot afford the fee may ask the court for a fee waiver.

From start to finish, the process of expunging or sealing an adult record can take anywhere from five to eight months.

Depending on what a person has on their record, they may be able to petition (apply) immediately for expungement and/or sealing. In some cases, however, there may be a waiting period to petition for criminal record relief. As one of the few legal aid providers in Chicagoland offering free criminal record relief, the Moran Center recommends you reach out as soon as you can to begin the process.

Apply online or call us at 847-492-1410 and leave a message for our team. We will return your call and conduct an intake. Once we have all of your information, we can then determine if we are able to accept your case. 

Remember: Just because a case may be eligible for expungement or sealing does not mean it will be. Only the court has the power to grant or deny a request to expunge or seal a criminal record.

When a criminal record is expunged, the official records of the event are deleted. Only cases in which a person was not convicted are eligible to expunge, including cases:

• that have been dismissed
• found not guilty by a judge or jury
• involving supervision or some special types of felony probation [note: sentence(s) must be completed successfully]
• with a record of an arrest where no formal charges were ever filed

When a criminal record is sealed, it is no longer a searchable public record. Sealed records are still accessible to law enforcement and state prosecutors. Employers who are legally authorized to do a fingerprint background check (e.g., schools, park districts, etc.) have permission to view most sealed record information.

Most cases are eligible to seal in Illinois, and only a handful of cases are ineligible to seal.

The Moran Center’s record relief services are free to all individuals with a Cook County record.

FILING FEE: $152.34

If you can’t afford the filing fee, you can apply for a fee waiver. If granted, you will not pay the filing fee. Filing fees in the other Illinois counties vary.

Additional Costs

• RAP SHEET: $16 (i.e., a common term for a criminal history record)
• DISPOSITIONS: $6/each – certified court dispositions for each case number listed on the petition to expunge and/or seal, obtained from any Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County’s Office

If you are not a U.S. citizen and hope to apply for citizenship or change your legal status, consult an immigration attorney first. Under federal immigration law, a non-citizen must disclose any interaction with law enforcement to immigration authorities.

The Moran Center is a part of New Leaf Illinois, a network of 20 nonprofit organizations throughout the state that provide free legal representation or legal information to people who want their cannabis convictions off their record.

• Register for Cannabis Expungement through New Leaf
• Call New Leaf Illinois to Register: 855-963-9532
• Visit the New Leaf Portal on Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO) to learn more about Illinois’ new cannabis laws.

In Illinois, clemency is the Governor’s constitutional power to grant pardons, commutations, or reprieves as an act of mercy for a criminal conviction. It can forgive the conviction, reduce a sentence, or delay punishment.

Are you interested in filing for clemency, but do not want a lawyer? Check out this comprehensive guide for individuals seeking to file pro se Pardon Petitions. 

• Andy Froelich (he/him), Managing Attorney
• Tina Tran (she/they), Staff Attorney
• Anne Brody-Elovic (she/her), Paralegal