§ 4371. | § 4372. | § 4373. | § 4374. | § 4375.
The General Assembly finds that arrest records can be a hindrance to an innocent citizen's ability to obtain employment, obtain an education or to obtain credit. This subchapter is intended to protect innocent persons from unwarranted damage which may occur as the result of arrest and other criminal proceedings which are unfounded or unproven. (62 Del. Laws, c. 317, § 2.)
§ 4372. Termination of criminal action in favor of accused.
(a) If a person is charged with the commission of a crime and
(1) Is acquitted; or
(2) A nolle prosequi is taken, or the charge is otherwise dismissed, the person may file a petition setting forth the relevant facts and requesting expungement of the police records, and the court records relating to the charge.
(b) The petition shall be filed in the Superior Court in the county where the case was terminated, disposed of or concluded.
(c) A copy of the petition shall be served on the Attorney General, who may file an objection or answer to the petition within 30 days after it is served on the Attorney General.
(d) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, the Attorney General or designee responsible for prosecuting a criminal action may petition the court to expunge the instant arrest record of a defendant if at the time of a state motion to dismiss or entry of nolle prosequi in the case, the prosecutor has determined that the continued existence and possible dissemination of information relating to the arrest of the defendant for the matter dismissed or for which a nolle prosequi was entered may cause circumstances which constitute a manifest injustice to the defendant. (62 Del. Laws, c. 317, § 2; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; 72 Del. Laws, c. 150, § 5.)
§ 4373. Hearing by Court; granting or denial of expungement.
(a) Unless the Court believes a hearing is necessary, petitions shall be disposed of without a hearing. If the Court finds that the continued existence and possible dissemination of information relating to the arrest of the petitioner causes, or may cause, circumstances which constitute a manifest injustice to the petitioner, it shall enter an order requiring the expungement of the police and court records relating to the charge. Otherwise, it shall deny the petition. However, the Court shall grant petitions filed by the Attorney General or the Attorney General's designee pursuant to § 4372(d) of this title. The fact that the petitioner has previously been convicted of a criminal offense, other than that referred to in the petition, shall be considered by the Court as prima facie evidence that the continued existence and possible dissemination of information relating to the arrest in question does not constitute a manifest injustice to the petitioner.
(b) The State shall be made party defendant to the proceeding. Any party aggrieved by the decision of the Court may appeal, as provided by law in civil cases.
(c) If an order expunging the records is granted by the Court, all the records specified in the order shall, within 60 days of the order, be removed from the files, and placed in the control of the Supervisor of the State Bureau of Identification who shall be designated to retain control over all expunged records, and who shall insure that the records or the information contained therein is not released for any reason except as specified in this subchapter. In response to requests from nonlaw-enforcement officers for information or records on the person who was arrested, the law-enforcement officers and departments shall reply, with respect to the arrest and proceedings which are the subject of the order, that there is no record. (62 Del. Laws, c. 317, § 2; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; 72 Del. Laws, c. 150, § 6.)
§ 4374. Disclosure of expunged records.
(a) Except for disclosure to law-enforcement officers acting in the lawful performance of their duties in investigating criminal activity or for the purpose of an employment application as an employee of a law-enforcement agency, it shall be unlawful for any person having or acquiring access to an expunged court or police record to open or review it or to disclose to another person any information from it without an order from the Court which ordered the record expunged.
(b) Where disclosure to law-enforcement officers in the lawful performance of their duties in investigating criminal activity is permitted by subsection (a) of this section, such disclosure shall apply for the purpose of investigating particular criminal activity in which the person, whose records have been expunged, is considered a suspect and the crime being investigated is a felony or pursuant to an investigation of an employment application as an employee of a law-enforcement agency.
(c) Nothing contained in this section shall require the destruction of photographs or fingerprints taken in connection with any felony arrest and which are utilized solely by law-enforcement officers in the lawful performance of their duties in investigating criminal activity.
(d) Nothing herein shall require the destruction of court records or records of the Department of Justice. However, all such records, including docket books, relating to a charge which has been the subject of a destruction order shall be so handled to ensure that they are not open to public inspection or disclosure.
(e) An offense for which records have been expunged pursuant to this section shall not have to be disclosed by the person as an arrest for any reason.
(f) Any person who violates subsection (a) of this section shall be guilty of a class B misdemeanor, and shall be punished accordingly. (62 Del. Laws, c. 317, § 2.)
§ 4375. Notification to federal government.
Upon the granting by the Court for an order for the expungement of records in accordance with this subchapter, a copy of such order shall be forwarded to the federal Department of Justice. (62 Del. Laws, c. 317, § 2.)
NOTICE: The Delaware Code appearing on this site was prepared by the Division of Research of Legislative Council of the General Assembly with the assistance of the Government Information Center, under the supervision of the Delaware Code Revisors and the editorial staff of LexisNexis, includes all acts up to and including 76 Del. Laws, c. 288, effective July 1, 2008.
DISCLAIMER: Please Note: With respect to the Delaware Code documents available from this site or server, neither the State of Delaware nor any of its employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, including the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately-owned rights. This information is provided for informational purposes only. Please seek legal counsel for help on interpretation of individual statutes.