<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gcp" article_name="Criminal Procedure" number="10-103" title_number="10" title_name="Criminal Records" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Expungement of Police and Court Records">
  <level label="a">
    <text>For arrests, detentions, or confinements occurring before October 1, 2007, a person who is arrested, detained, or confined by a law enforcement unit for the suspected commission of a crime and then is released without being charged with the commission of a crime may request the expungement of the police record.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The person shall request expungement within 8 years after the date of the incident.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>On receipt of a timely filed request, the law enforcement unit promptly shall investigate and try to verify the facts stated in the request.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If the law enforcement unit finds the facts are true, the law enforcement unit shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>search diligently for each police record about the arrest, detention, or confinement of the person;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>expunge each police record it has about the arrest, detention, or confinement within 60 days after receipt of the request; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>send a copy of the request and the law enforcement unit’s verification of the facts in the request to:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>the Central Repository;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>each booking facility or law enforcement unit that the law enforcement unit believes may have a police record about the arrest, detention, or confinement; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>the person requesting expungement.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>Within 60 days after receipt of the request, the Central Repository, booking facility, and any other law enforcement unit shall search diligently for and expunge a police record about the arrest, detention, or confinement.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>If the law enforcement unit to which the person has sent a request finds that the person is not entitled to an expungement of the police record, the law enforcement unit, within 60 days after receipt of the request, shall advise the person in writing of:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the denial of the request for expungement; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the reasons for the denial.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <level label="i">
        <text>If a request by the person for expungement of a police record is denied under subsection (e) of this section, the person may apply for an order of expungement in the District Court that has proper venue against the law enforcement unit.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The person shall file the application within 30 days after the written notice of the denial is mailed or delivered to the person.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>After notice to the law enforcement unit, the court shall hold a hearing.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>If the court finds that the person is entitled to expungement, the court shall order the law enforcement unit to expunge the police record.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>If the court finds that the person is not entitled to expungement of the police record, the court shall deny the application.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The law enforcement unit is a party to the proceeding.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Each party to the proceeding is entitled to appellate review on the record, as provided in the Courts Article for appeals in civil cases from the District Court.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>A person who is entitled to expungement under this section may not be required to pay any fee or costs in connection with the expungement.</text>
  </level>
</section>
