Expungement

Expungement is the process of setting aside a criminal conviction so that there is no longer any public criminal record of that conviction. A conviction is any misdemeanor or felony charge where you pled guilty (either with or without a plea agreement) or you were found guilty by a jury.

There is usually a waiting period before you can ask for an expungement from the court that convicted you. You must usually wait at least five years after whichever of the following events happens last: 

1. The date you were convicted; 
2. The date you completed probation; 
3. The date you were discharged from parole; OR 
4. The date you were released from prison. Not all of these events may apply to your situation.

You might not have been in prison, or you might not have been placed on probation or paroled. Whichever of these events does apply to you, you must wait five years after the last event happens before you can file your application. If you were convicted of a crime that directly resulted from you being a victim of human trafficking, this time requirement does not apply to you.

Michigan Legal Help Common Questions about Setting Aside Adult Convictions (expungements)

Use this tool for Do-it-Yourself Expungement

Convictions for certain offenses cannot be set aside. See MCL 780.621 for more details.

SCAO Form Application to Set Aside Conviction