Before applying to seal or expunge a Florida criminal record, it can help to know exactly what appears in the state's criminal history system.
FDLE offers a process called a Personal Review.
What a Personal Review does
According to FDLE, the process lets an individual examine their Florida criminal history record for accuracy and completeness and challenge information they believe is inaccurate or incomplete.
FDLE also notes that a Personal Review can help someone identify which arrest dates may be eligible for sealing or expungement.
There is no FDLE fee
FDLE states that it does not charge for the Personal Review process.
It is not an eligibility certificate
A Personal Review is different from the Certificate of Eligibility used in the formal court-ordered sealing or expungement process.
Why accuracy matters
Old cases can involve incomplete memories, changed case numbers, multiple charges, or dispositions that are difficult to reconstruct years later.
Starting with the official record can make later conversations with FDLE, the court, or legal counsel more precise.
