Virginia Expungement Law: Learn How CivicPlus® Can Help

Revisions to the Virginia expungement law have many public sector agencies in the state working to modify their Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) records request practices.

Expungement reform was introduced as a recommendation of the Virginia State Crime Commission, and then adopted by the Virginia General Assembly as the 2021 session wound to a close. New provisions began going into effect July 1, 2021, with all in effect by July 1, 2025.

As the July 1, 2025 deadline draws near, agencies can look to CivicPlus for:

• Practical tips to adapt your agency’s FOIA records request practices to align with the Virginia expungement law (also referred to as the Virginia record-sealing law)
• Secure, reliable, and cost-effective technology solutions purpose-built to streamline agency FOIA records request workflows while easing the burden of compliance

Record-Sealing and Expungement in Virginia: What to Know

The updated legislation introduces significant changes to how certain criminal records are handled in Virginia. In some cases, records for qualifying misdemeanors may be sealed automatically, without requiring a petition to the court. Additionally, individuals with no subsequent criminal charges for a specified period may be eligible for record expungement under certain conditions.

Of course, not every offense is eligible for sealing or expungement — as it is important to note that eligibility for sealing or expungement depends on the specific details of the record and the nature of the offense. However, the new flexibility could help many people, especially those who have been acquitted or seen their cases dismissed, successfully rehabilitate into society.

How CivicPlus Can Help

Although records may be sealed or expunged, some may just need information redacted. Our FOIA request software, NextRequest, allows agency staff to identify and redact social security numbers (SSNs), emails, phone numbers, and other sensitive information with ease. To supercharge your redaction capabilities, your agency also could benefit from integrating our RapidReview and Risk Module solutions with NextRequest:

RapidReview

RapidReview offers true draft and bulk redaction, setting it apart from other redaction tools. Draft redactions are autosaved, and you can move, edit, or delete them. Timestamps show when actions were taken, and teammates can pick up where you left off. Finalize redactions when you’re ready, individually or through bulk actions.

With bulk redaction, you can redact information from not one but hundreds of documents at one time, make comments, and give reasons for batches of redactions. When documents are ready, you can take bulk actions to move, delete, download, zip, finalize, or release many documents at once.

Risk Module

Our Risk Module empowers the review of large volumes of data automatically with machine learning and pattern matching that identifies potentially sensitive information for you. Agency staff can prevent the release of sensitive information and streamline their redaction processes by simply uploading documentation into the CivicPlus NextRequest system.

From there, the Risk Module scans for sensitive information and provides an accurate assessment of the level of risk to review and confirm before redacting.

Solve Your Agency’s FOIA Records Request Challenges

The time to implement secure, reliable, and cost-effective technology solutions purpose-built to streamline agency FOIA records request workflows while easing the burden of compliance is now. Take the first step and view a demo of CivicPlus NextRequest software today.

The information provided in this blog post regarding the recent modification to the Virginia expungement law is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information, this blog post is not a substitute for professional legal consultation. The information presented here reflects a general understanding of the Virginia expungement law and its implications but should not be relied upon for legal decisions. The application and interpretation of laws can vary based on individual circumstances and jurisdictions. Readers are encouraged to seek the advice of a qualified legal professional to address their specific legal needs and to ensure compliance with applicable laws. The author and publisher disclaim any liability for actions taken based on the information contained in this blog post.