California
Penal Code section 851.8; Sealing and destruction of arrest records; determination of factual innocence; California Penal Code 851.85 and 851.86; Determination of Factual Innocence at Trial; California Penal Code 851.90 Drug Diversion
Only $1199 dollars
PC 851.8. Seal and Destroy Arrest Record; Determination of Factual Innocence:
(a) In any case where a person has been arrested and no
accusatory pleading has been filed, the person arrested may petition
the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the offense to
destroy its records of the arrest. A copy of the petition shall be
served upon the prosecuting attorney of the county or city having
jurisdiction over the offense. The law enforcement agency having
jurisdiction over the offense, upon a determination that the person
arrested is factually innocent, shall, with the concurrence of the
prosecuting attorney, seal its arrest records, and the petition for
relief under this section for three years from the date of the arrest
and thereafter destroy its arrest records and the petition. The law
enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the offense shall notify
the Department of Justice, and any law enforcement agency that
arrested the petitioner or participated in the arrest of the
petitioner for an offense for which the petitioner has been found
factually innocent under this subdivision, of the sealing of the
arrest records and the reason therefor. The Department of Justice and
any law enforcement agency so notified shall forthwith seal their
records of the arrest and the notice of sealing for three years from
the date of the arrest, and thereafter destroy their records of the
arrest and the notice of sealing. The law enforcement agency having
jurisdiction over the offense and the Department of Justice shall
request the destruction of any records of the arrest which they have
given to any local, state, or federal agency or to any other person
or entity. Each agency, person, or entity within the State of
California receiving the request shall destroy its records of the
arrest and the request, unless otherwise provided in this section.
(b) If, after receipt by both the law enforcement agency and the
prosecuting attorney of a petition for relief under subdivision (a),
the law enforcement agency and prosecuting attorney do not respond to
the petition by accepting or denying the petition within 60 days
after the running of the relevant statute of limitations or within 60
days after receipt of the petition in cases where the statute of
limitations has previously lapsed, then the petition shall be deemed
to be denied. In any case where the petition of an arrestee to the
law enforcement agency to have an arrest record destroyed is denied,
petition may be made to the superior court that would have had
territorial jurisdiction over the matter. A copy of the petition
shall be served on the law enforcement agency and the prosecuting
attorney of the county or city having jurisdiction over the offense
at least 10 days prior to the hearing thereon. The prosecuting
attorney and the law enforcement agency through the district attorney
may present evidence to the court at the hearing. Notwithstanding
Section 1538.5 or 1539, any judicial determination of factual
innocence made pursuant to this section may be heard and determined
upon declarations, affidavits, police reports, or any other evidence
submitted by the parties which is material, relevant and reliable. A
finding of factual innocence and an order for the sealing and
destruction of records pursuant to this section shall not be made
unless the court finds that no reasonable cause exists to believe
that the arrestee committed the offense for which the arrest was
made. In any court hearing to determine the factual innocence of a
party, the initial burden of proof shall rest with the petitioner to
show that no reasonable cause exists to believe that the arrestee
committed the offense for which the arrest was made. If the court
finds that this showing of no reasonable cause has been made by the
petitioner, then the burden of proof shall shift to the respondent to
show that a reasonable cause exists to believe that the petitioner
committed the offense for which the arrest was made. If the court
finds the arrestee to be factually innocent of the charges for which
the arrest was made, then the court shall order the law enforcement
agency having jurisdiction over the offense, the Department of
Justice, and any law enforcement agency which arrested the petitioner
or participated in the arrest of the petitioner for an offense for
which the petitioner has been found factually innocent under this
section to seal their records of the arrest and the court order to
seal and destroy the records, for three years from the date of the
arrest and thereafter to destroy their records of the arrest and the
court order to seal and destroy such records. The court shall also
order the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the offense
and the Department of Justice to request the destruction of any
records of the arrest which they have given to any local, state, or
federal agency, person or entity. Each state or local agency, person
or entity within the State of California receiving such a request
shall destroy its records of the arrest and the request to destroy
the records, unless otherwise provided in this section. The court
shall give to the petitioner a copy of any court order concerning the
destruction of the arrest records.
(c) In any case where a person has been arrested, and an
accusatory pleading has been filed, but where no conviction has
occurred, the defendant may, at any time after dismissal of the
action, petition the court that dismissed the action for a finding
that the defendant is factually innocent of the charges for which the
arrest was made. A copy of the petition shall be served on the
prosecuting attorney of the county or city in which the accusatory
pleading was filed at least 10 days prior to the hearing on the
petitioner's factual innocence. The prosecuting attorney may present
evidence to the court at the hearing. The hearing shall be conducted
as provided in subdivision (b). If the court finds the petitioner to
be factually innocent of the charges for which the arrest was made,
then the court shall grant the relief as provided in subdivision (b).
(d) In any case where a person has been arrested and an accusatory
pleading has been filed, but where no conviction has occurred, the
court may, with the concurrence of the prosecuting attorney, grant
the relief provided in subdivision (b) at the time of the dismissal
of the accusatory pleading.
(e) Whenever any person is acquitted of a charge and it appears to
the judge presiding at the trial at which the acquittal occurred
that the defendant was factually innocent of the charge, the judge
may grant the relief provided in subdivision (b).
(f) In any case where a person who has been arrested is granted
relief pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b), the law enforcement agency
having jurisdiction over the offense or court shall issue a written
declaration to the arrestee stating that it is the determination of
the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the offense or
court that the arrestee is factually innocent of the charges for
which the person was arrested and that the arrestee is thereby
exonerated. Thereafter, the arrest shall be deemed not to have
occurred and the person may answer accordingly any question relating
to its occurrence.
(g) The Department of Justice shall furnish forms to be utilized
by persons applying for the destruction of their arrest records and
for the written declaration that one person was found factually
innocent under subdivisions (a) and (b).
(h) Documentation of arrest records destroyed pursuant to
subdivision (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) that are contained in
investigative police reports shall bear the notation "Exonerated"
whenever reference is made to the arrestee. The arrestee shall be
notified in writing by the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction
over the offense of the sealing and destruction of the arrest
records pursuant to this section.
(i) (1) Any finding that an arrestee is factually innocent
pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) shall not be
admissible as evidence in any action.
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a finding that an arrestee is
factually innocent pursuant to subdivisions (a) to (e), inclusive,
shall be admissible as evidence at a hearing before the California
Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board.
(j) Destruction of records of arrest pursuant to subdivision (a),
(b), (c), (d), or (e) shall be accomplished by permanent obliteration
of all entries or notations upon the records pertaining to the
arrest, and the record shall be prepared again so that it appears
that the arrest never occurred. However, where (1) the only entries
on the record pertain to the arrest and (2) the record can be
destroyed without necessarily affecting the destruction of other
records, then the document constituting the record shall be
physically destroyed.
(k) No records shall be destroyed pursuant to subdivision (a),
(b), (c), (d), or (e) if the arrestee or a codefendant has filed a
civil action against the peace officers or law enforcement
jurisdiction which made the arrest or instituted the prosecution and
if the agency which is the custodian of the records has received a
certified copy of the complaint in the civil action, until the civil
action has been resolved. Any records sealed pursuant to this section
by the court in the civil actions, upon a showing of good cause, may
be opened and submitted into evidence. The records shall be
confidential and shall be available for inspection only by the court,
jury, parties, counsel for the parties and any other person
authorized by the court. Immediately following the final resolution
of the civil action, records subject to subdivision (a), (b), (c),
(d), or (e) shall be sealed and destroyed pursuant to subdivision
(a), (b), (c), (d), or (e).
(l) For arrests occurring on or after January 1, 1981, and for
accusatory pleadings filed on or after January 1, 1981, petitions for
relief under this section may be filed up to two years from the date
of the arrest or filing of the accusatory pleading, whichever is
later. Until January 1, 1983, petitioners can file for relief under
this section for arrests which occurred or accusatory pleadings which
were filed up to five years prior to the effective date of the
statute. Any time restrictions on filing for relief under this
section may be waived upon a showing of good cause by the petitioner
and in the absence of prejudice.
(m) Any relief which is available to a petitioner under this
section for an arrest shall also be available for an arrest which has
been deemed to be or described as a detention under Section 849.5 or
851.6.
(n) This section shall not apply to any offense which is
classified as an infraction.
(o) (1) This section shall be repealed on the effective date of a
final judgment based on a claim under the California or United States
Constitution holding that evidence that is relevant, reliable, and
material may not be considered for purposes of a judicial
determination of factual innocence under this section. For purposes
of this subdivision, a judgment by the appellate division of a
superior court is a final judgment if it is published and if it is
not reviewed on appeal by a court of appeal. A judgment of a court of
appeal is a final judgment if it is published and if it is not
reviewed by the California Supreme Court.
(p) A judgment of the court under subdivision (b), (c), (d), or
(e) is subject to the following appeal path:
(1) In a felony case, appeal is to the court of appeal.
(2) In a misdemeanor case, or in a case in which no accusatory
pleading was filed, appeal is to the appellate division of the
superior court.
PC 851.85. Motion to Seal Records on Acquittal if Person Appears to Judge to be Factually Innocent; Rights of Defendant Under Order:
Whenever a person is acquitted of a charge and it appears
to the judge presiding at the trial wherein such acquittal occurred
that the defendant was factually innocent of the charge, the judge
may order that the records in the case be sealed, including any
record of arrest or detention, upon the written or oral motion of any
party in the case or the court, and with notice to all parties to
the case. If such an order is made, the court shall give to the
defendant a copy of such order and inform the defendant that he may
thereafter state that he was not arrested for such charge and that he
was found innocent of such charge by the court.
PC 851.86. Person Appearing to be Factually Innocent; Conviction Set Aside; Order to Seal Records; Rights of Defendant:
Whenever a person is convicted of a charge, and the
conviction is set aside based upon a determination that the person
was factually innocent of the charge, the judge shall order that the
records in the case be sealed, including any record of arrest or
detention, upon written or oral motion of any party in the case or
the court, and with notice to all parties to the case. If such an
order is made, the court shall give the defendant a copy of that
order and inform the defendant that he or she may thereafter state he
or she was not arrested for that charge and that he or she was not
convicted of that charge, and that he or she was found innocent of
that charge by the court. The court shall also inform the defendant
of the availability of indemnity for persons erroneously convicted
pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 4900) of Title 6 of
Part 3, and the time limitations for presenting those claims.
PC 851.90. Drug Diversion Programs; Deferred Entry of Judgment Programs; Succesful Completion of Program; Sealing of Records and Files; Disclosure of Arrest to Department of Justice:
(a) (1) Whenever a person is diverted pursuant to a drug
diversion program administered by a superior court pursuant to
Section 1000.5 or is admitted to a deferred entry of judgment program
pursuant to Section 1000 or 1000.8, the person successfully
completes the program, and it appears to the judge presiding at the
hearing where the diverted charges are dismissed that the interests
of justice would be served by sealing the records of the arresting
agency and related court files and records with respect to the
diverted person, the judge may order those records and files to be
sealed, including any record of arrest or detention, upon the written
or oral motion of any party in the case, or upon the court's own
motion, and with notice to all parties in the case.
(2) If the order is made, the clerk of the court shall thereafter
not allow access to any records concerning the case, including the
court file, index, register of actions, or other similar records.
(3) If the order is made, the court shall give a copy of the order
to the defendant and inform the defendant that he or she may
thereafter state that he or she was not arrested for the charge.
(4) The defendant may, except as specified in subdivisions (b),
(c), and (d), indicate in response to any question concerning the
defendant's prior criminal record that the defendant was not arrested
or granted statutorily authorized drug diversion or deferred entry
of judgment for the offense.
(5) Subject to subdivisions (b), (c), and (d), a record pertaining
to an arrest resulting in the successful completion of a statutorily
authorized drug diversion or deferred entry of judgment program
shall not, without the defendant's permission, be used in any way
that could result in the denial of any employment, benefit, or
certificate.
(6) Sealing orders made pursuant to this subdivision shall not be
forwarded to the Department of Justice to be included or notated in
the department's manual or electronic fingerprint image or criminal
history record systems. Any sealing order made pursuant to this
subdivision and received by the Department of Justice need not be
processed by the department.
(b) The defendant shall be advised that, regardless of the
defendant's successful completion of a statutorily authorized drug
diversion or deferred entry of judgment program, the arrest upon
which the case was based shall be disclosed by the Department of
Justice in response to any peace officer application request, and
that, notwithstanding subdivision (a), this section does not relieve
the defendant of the obligation to disclose the arrest in response to
any direct question contained in any questionnaire or application
for a position as a peace officer, as defined in Section 830.
(c) The defendant shall be advised that, regardless of the
defendant's successful completion of a statutorily authorized drug
diversion or deferred entry of judgment program, the arrest upon
which the case was based shall be disclosed by the Department of
Justice or the court in which the matter was heard in response to any
subsequent inquiry by the district attorney, court, probation
department, or counsel for the defendant concerning the defendant's
eligibility for any statutorily authorized drug diversion or deferred
entry of judgment program in the future.
(d) A sealing order made pursuant to this section shall not apply
to any record or document received or maintained by the Department of
Justice; the court shall advise a defendant that, notwithstanding
the issuance of a sealing order pursuant to this section, the
Department of Justice shall continue to be able to maintain and
disseminate any records or documents received or maintained by the
department, as authorized by law.
The information provided herein was obtained from the California Penal Code 2010.
