An Overview of Michigan’s Expungement Laws

Setting aside a conviction is the process that clears your public criminal record. This is sometimes called an “expungement.” In Michigan, there is one process to set aside a conviction on your adult record and a different process to set aside a juvenile conviction, called an adjudication. This article gives an overview of the laws that apply to setting aside an adult conviction. To learn about the application process, read Setting Aside an Adult Criminal Conviction. To learn more about setting aside a juvenile adjudication, read Setting Aside a Juvenile Adjudication.

A new set of expungement laws were passed in 2020. Most of these laws went into effect on April 11, 2021. These new laws increase the number of convictions people can have and still be eligible to set aside one or more convictions. A conviction is any misdemeanor or felony charge for which you were found guilty. You could have been found guilty by a judge or jury, or you might have signed a plea agreement stating that you were guilty of a crime.