Q: I was told that if something was expunged off your criminal record that in place of it their would be a code. And that if you know what the code stands for that will let you know what was expunged. Is their any truth to that? And who is allowed to see that code? What exactly happens when something is expunged? Is it really gone or is it sealed like your juvenile record?
A: Anyone who has access to the "mainframe" would be able to view your "codes" & the outcome of any cases you were involved in. This the the info my Public Defender gave me when my charges were dropped, I was exonerated & the case was expunged from my record. I have called & it seems the Sherriff's Department & the District Attorneys Offices all have access to the mainframe, as well as the Public Defenders Office. I still don't know if the local Police Departments have access, or if they get their info through another department when they run your name through their systems. I pretty much gave up on the idea that I'll never have to tell anyone I've been arrested & spent time in jail! The few times I was asked by an Officer if I had ever been arrested or been in jail, they ran a check on me & they said I was a liar & then I'd have to explain the whole thing & it just took more time then it would have if I just told them the truth to begin with! I'm a Native Californian & it seems that our system has quite a few "bugs" in it, but it has been improving the last 18 months! Juvenile records are harder to find, especially on older people, because we didn't have social security numbers attached to our cases in the "old days" & many of us changed our names through marriage. Bottom line is that anyone can & does get what they want when it comes to your life, like it or not!