Expungement
Definition
The legal process of sealing or destroying criminal records so they don’t appear in background checks, helping people move on after completing sentences. Kentucky allows expungement of certain misdemeanors after 5 years and some felonies after 5-10 years (depending on severity), if you haven’t committed additional crimes. Expungement removes employment, housing, and education barriers but requires court filings and often attorney fees, creating access issues.