In both the state and federal criminal justice systems, criminal records of arrests, convictions, and other proceedings are generally open to the public. There are limited circumstances under which criminal records may be expunged (deleted). And in some circumstances, criminal records that are not eligible for expungement or expunction may be eligible for sealing or nondisclosure—usually by a court order. If a criminal record is sealed, private parties generally cannot release or access the records, but government agencies—including the police, licensing boards, and other agencies—may access the records. Sealed court records may also be admissible in some court proceedings.

Some documents in a criminal record are not ordinarily available to the public—such as unexecuted summonses or warrants; pretrial bail and presentence reports; juvenile records; documents containing information about jurors; and documents such as expenditure records that might reveal the defense strategies of court-appointed lawyers.

And in some circumstances judges have the authority to seal additional documents or to close hearings that would ordinarily be open to the public. Reasons for such actions can include protecting victims and cooperating witnesses or informants from retaliation; avoiding the release of information that might compromise an ongoing criminal investigation or a defendant’s due process rights; and protecting classified information affecting national security.

Federal judges rarely seal criminal arrest or conviction records. And laws regarding the circumstances under which criminal records may be sealed in a state court criminal prosecution vary from state to state. The state laws governing the sealing or nondisclosure of criminal records are usually located in a state’s statutes.

In Missouri, criminal records, including arrests, convictions, and other proceedings, are generally public. However, under certain conditions, these records can be expunged or sealed. Expungement in Missouri is the process of deleting a criminal record, which is allowed for some offenses and under specific criteria as outlined in Missouri statutes, such as Sections 610.140 and 610.123. For example, certain non-violent offenses, misdemeanors, and ordinance violations may be expunged if the individual has not been convicted of any other crime during a prescribed period and meets other requirements. Sealing of records, on the other hand, restricts their accessibility to private parties but allows government agencies to access them. Missouri law also provides for the sealing of records in certain situations, often by court order, to protect sensitive information or the rights of individuals involved. Some records, like juvenile records or documents revealing defense strategies, are not typically available to the public. Judges in Missouri have the discretion to seal additional documents or close hearings to protect victims, witnesses, ongoing investigations, defendants' due process rights, or national security. Federal judges seldom seal criminal records, and the criteria for sealing records in federal court differ from state laws. The specific state statutes govern the conditions and procedures for sealing or nondisclosure of criminal records in Missouri.