(a) Except as provided in Section 15-27-10, upon the granting of a petition pursuant to this chapter, the court, pursuant to Section 15-27-9, shall order the expungement of all records in the custody of the court and any records in the custody of any other agency or official, including law enforcement records, except privileged presentence or postsentence investigation reports produced by the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles and its officers, records, documents, databases, and files of the district attorney and the Office of Prosecution Services. On July 7, 2014, and for 18 months thereafter, every agency with records relating to the arrest, charge, or other matters arising out of the arrest or charge that is ordered to expunge the records shall certify to the court within 180 days of the entry of the expungement order that the required expungement action has been completed.
(b) After the expungement of records pursuant to subsection (a), the proceedings regarding the charge shall be deemed never to have occurred. Except as provided in this chapter, the court and other agencies shall reply to any inquiry that no record exists on the matter. The petitioner whose record was expunged shall not have to disclose the fact of the record or any matter relating thereto on an application for employment, credit, or other type of application. However, the petitioner whose record was expunged shall have the duty to disclose the fact of the record and any matter relating thereto to any government regulatory or licensing agency, any utility and its agents and affiliates, or any bank or other financial institution. In these circumstances, the government regulatory or licensing agency, utility and its agents and affiliates, or the bank or other financial institution shall have the right to inspect the expunged records after filing notice with the court.
Structure Code of Alabama
Title 15 - Criminal Procedure.
Section 15-27-2 - Petition to Expunge Records - Felony Offense.
Section 15-27-2.1 - Limitations on Number of Expungements Granted.
Section 15-27-3 - Submission of Sworn Statement and Records; Service.
Section 15-27-4 - Administrative Filing Fee; Indigency.
Section 15-27-5 - Objections; Hearing; Ruling.
Section 15-27-6 - Order of Expungement; Certification; Inspection of Expunged Records.
Section 15-27-8 - Records Forwarded to and Retained by Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency.
Section 15-27-9 - Definitions.
Section 15-27-10 - Maintenance of Investigative Files, Reports, Case Files, Etc.
Section 15-27-11 - Personal Information Subject to Expungement.
Section 15-27-12 - Prerequisites to Expungement.
Section 15-27-13 - Annual Report.
Section 15-27-14 - Applicability - Alabama Securities Commission.
Section 15-27-15 - Applicability - Right to Ship, Transport, Possess, or Receive Firearm.
Section 15-27-16 - Disclosure of Information From Expunged File Without a Court Order; Liability.
Section 15-27-17 - Filing Under False Pretenses.
Section 15-27-18 - Applicants for Position in Law Enforcement, Etc.
Section 15-27-19 - Rulemaking Authority.
Section 15-27-20 - Release of Expunged Records for Use in Certain Civil Suits; Hearing.
Section 15-27-21 - Admissibility of Expungement Records in Criminal Trials.