EXPUNGEMENT PROCESS

There is no legal authority allowing courts to expunge or destroy court records through the expungement process. See GR 15(h); "State V Young", 152 Wn. App 186, 216 P.3d 449 (2009).

Although court records may not be expunged or destroyed, non-conviction records may, in some circumstances, be expunged from files of other criminal justice agencies under certain circumstances.

For information on sealing, vacating, or expunging non-conviction data from criminal justice agency files (not from the records at the Seattle Municipal Court), see the link at the Washington State Patrol.

Click here for the brochure A Guide to Sealing and Destroying Court Records, Vacating Convictions, and Deleting Criminal History Records produced by the Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts.

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