Section 851.87 Of Chapter 5. Arrest, By Whom And How Made From California Penal Code >> Title 3. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 5.
851.87
. (a) (1) In any case where a person is arrested and
successfully completes a prefiling diversion program administered by
a prosecuting attorney in lieu of filing an accusatory pleading, the
person may, two years after successful completion of the program as
determined by the prosecuting attorney, petition the superior court
that would have had jurisdiction over the matter to issue an order to
seal the records of the arresting agency and related court files and
records, and the court may order those records sealed if the court
finds that doing so will be in furtherance of justice. A copy of the
petition shall be served on the law enforcement agency and the
prosecuting attorney of the county or city having jurisdiction over
the offense, who may request a hearing within 60 days of receipt of
the petition. The court may hear the matter no less than 60 days from
the date the law enforcement agency and the prosecuting attorney
receive a copy of the petition. The prosecuting attorney and the law
enforcement agency, through the prosecuting attorney, may present
evidence to the court at the hearing.
(2) If the order is made, the clerk of the court shall thereafter
not allow access to any records concerning the case, including the
court file, index, register of actions, or other similar records.
(3) If the order is made, the court shall give a copy of the order
to the person and inform the person that he or she may thereafter
state that he or she was not arrested for the charge.
(4) The person may, except as specified in subdivisions (b), (c),
and (d), indicate in response to any question concerning the person's
prior criminal record that the person was not arrested.
(5) Subject to subdivisions (b), (c), and (d), a record pertaining
to the arrest shall not, without the person's permission, be used in
any way that could result in the denial of any employment, benefit,
or certificate.
(6) A sealing order made pursuant to this subdivision shall not be
forwarded to the Department of Justice to be included or notated in
the department's manual or electronic fingerprint image or criminal
history record systems. Any sealing order made pursuant to this
subdivision and received by the Department of Justice need not be
processed by the department.
(b) The person shall be advised that, regardless of the person's
successful completion of the program, the arrest shall be disclosed
by the Department of Justice in response to any peace officer
application request, and that, notwithstanding subdivision (a), this
section does not relieve the person of the obligation to disclose the
arrest in response to any direct question contained in any
questionnaire or application for a position as a peace officer, as
defined in Section 830.
(c) The person shall be advised that, regardless of the person's
successful completion of the program, the arrest shall be disclosed
by the Department of Justice or the court in which the matter was
heard in response to any subsequent inquiry by the district attorney,
court, probation department, or counsel for the person concerning
the person's eligibility for any diversion program administered by a
prosecuting attorney in the future.
(d) A sealing order made pursuant to this section shall not apply
to any record or document received or maintained by the Department of
Justice. Upon issuing the sealing order, the court shall advise the
person that, notwithstanding the issuance of a sealing order pursuant
to this section, the Department of Justice shall continue to be able
to maintain and disseminate any records or documents received or
maintained by the department, as authorized by law.
(e) As used in this section, "prefiling diversion" is a diversion
from prosecution that is offered to a person by the prosecuting
attorney in lieu of, or prior to, the filing of an accusatory
pleading in court as set forth in Section 950.