expungement

English

Etymology

From expunge +‎ -ment.

Noun

expungement (countable and uncountable, plural expungements)

1. The act of expunging.
2. (US, Canada) The process by which the record of a criminal conviction is erased, destroyed or sealed.
   • 1979 April 7, David Brill, “BPL Arrests: A Year Later”, in Gay Community News, page 1:

     In a memorandum in support of the expungement motion, Atty. John Ward argues that the retention of his clients' records "is and will be of great harm to them."

See also

• ex-con
• pardoning
• acquital
• commutation
• conviction
• amnesty
• innocence
• guilt
• no contest
• non compos mentis