Clearing your record in Alameda County

Here's how to get record clearance in Alameda County

1. On the Alameda County Public Defender’s Website, answer a few questions about yourself and your Alameda record

   Contacting the Public Defender’s Office and/or their partner organization East Bay Community Law Center (EBCLC) is safe and confidential. They are not part of law enforcement and will not share your information with anyone. We know it can be difficult to talk about your conviction history, but the Public Defender’s Office and/or EBCLC will only use this information to move your record remedy application forward.

2. The Public Defender’s Office or their partner organization EBCLC will contact you by phone, email, or mail

   The Public Defender’s Office or EBCLC will contact you as soon as they are able to in order to let you know if you are eligible to receive their record remedy services. If you do not hear back from the Public Defender’s Office and/or EBCLC, reach back out to them to check on your case’s progress. They will also screen you to determine whether you meet the eligibility requirements. If you do not, you can contact legal aid organizations that serve the Alameda area. They may also ask you to obtain your full CA DOJ RAP sheet and/or to submit a personal statement, letters of recommendation, and/or other documents.

3. Work with the Public Defender’s Office or EBCLC to complete your request

   If you are eligible, attorneys/staff will work with you as needed to put together a petition which the attorneys will submit to the court to seek the relevant criminal record remedy relief. Additionally, the Public Defender’s Office or EBCLC will update you with the final decision and the relevant court order(s).

4. If relief is granted, wait for the Alameda County Superior Court and the California DOJ to update their records

   If relief is granted in your case and you want to see if your CA DOJ RAP sheet has been fully updated, please talk to the Public Defender’s Office or EBCLC about how and when to try to obtain a copy of your DOJ RAP sheet. If you receive criminal record remedy relief and believe that your record is being reported erroneously, please contact the Public Defender’s or EBCLC’s Clean Slate Programs to see if they can provide assistance. You can also read more about what happens after clearance.