Centralia Expungement & Record Sealing Lawyers
Clear Your Criminal Record and Get Your Future Back
- Free Expungement Evaluations
- Affordable Fixed-Flat Fees
- Local Centralia Office on South Locust Street
Call Today for a Free Expungement Evaluation (618) 316-7322
Centralia Expungement & Record Sealing Attorneys
Olson & Reeves keeps an office on South Locust Street in Centralia and helps people across the area clear old arrests and convictions from their records. A record from years ago can still cost you a job, an apartment, a professional license, or your right to own a firearm, and most people never realize how much of it stays visible after a case ends.
Illinois law gives you several ways to clear a record, and we handle every step for a fixed-flat fee. If you have been searching for a Centralia expungement attorney or a record sealing lawyer near me, call for a free expungement evaluation. We will review your full record, explain plainly what can be cleared and what cannot, and quote a fixed fee before you commit to anything.
Arrested in Centralia? Which County Hears Your Petition
Centralia sits in four counties: Marion, Clinton, Jefferson, and Washington. An expungement or sealing petition is filed in the county where the arrest happened, not where you live. So a Centralia arrest record can land in any of four different courthouses, in three different judicial circuits.
This trips up a lot of people, and a lot of attorneys. Where in Centralia you were stopped or booked decides which courthouse handles the case. Marion County’s seat is Salem, not Centralia, so a Marion County petition goes to Salem, about 12 to 15 miles east. If you have records from more than one part of town, you may need a separate petition in each county. We pin down the right county for every entry on your record during the free evaluation, so nothing is filed in the wrong place.
| County | Where You File | Judicial Circuit |
|---|---|---|
| Marion | Marion County Courthouse, Salem | Fourth Judicial Circuit |
| Clinton | Clinton County Courthouse, Carlyle | Fourth Judicial Circuit |
| Jefferson | Jefferson County Courthouse, Mt. Vernon | Second Judicial Circuit |
| Washington | Washington County Courthouse, Nashville | Twenty-Fourth Judicial Circuit |
Expungement vs. Sealing: What Is the Difference?
Expungement physically destroys or returns your record so no public agency or private background check can see it. Sealing hides the record from public view but keeps it available to law enforcement and certain licensing bodies. Expungement is the cleaner result, but it is available in fewer situations than sealing.
When a court orders an expungement under 20 ILCS 2630/5.2, the arresting agency, the Illinois State Police, and the circuit clerk are ordered to destroy or return the records, and your name comes off the public court index. When a record is sealed, the file still exists but is shielded from public view. For most working-age adults, sealing is enough to remove a record as a barrier to a job or a lease.
| Expungement | Sealing | |
|---|---|---|
| Effect on the Record | Destroyed or returned | Hidden from public view |
| Visible to the Public? | No | No |
| Visible to Law Enforcement? | No (limited exceptions) | Yes |
| Available for Convictions? | Rarely (vacated, pardoned, cannabis) | Many misdemeanors and most Class 3 and 4 felonies |
Who Qualifies to Clear a Record in Illinois?
Expungement is generally available when your case did not end in a conviction. That covers arrests where no charges were filed, dismissed cases, acquittals, completed court supervision, completed qualified probation, and vacated or reversed convictions. Certain cannabis convictions qualify under separate authority. Each category carries its own waiting period.
When a conviction is on the record, sealing is usually the right path instead. Many misdemeanor convictions and most Class 3 and Class 4 felony convictions can be sealed after the waiting period runs. We review every entry on your Illinois State Police criminal history and identify which cases can be expunged, which can be sealed, and which cannot be touched. For the full breakdown of every disposition and waiting period, see our Southern Illinois expungement and record sealing hub.
The Illinois Clean Slate Act: What Changed in June 2026
Governor Pritzker signed the Illinois Clean Slate Act (Public Act 104-0459) on January 16, 2026. The first round of changes took effect June 1, 2026 and is now law. A future automated sealing system will eventually seal many records without a petition, but that system is not expected to begin until 2029.
As of June 1, 2026, the sealing waiting period dropped to two years for court supervision, qualified probation, misdemeanor convictions, and municipal ordinance violations. Felony convictions still carry a three-year wait. The law also removed the drug-test requirement for sealing or expunging eligible drug records, dropped the notice requirement to municipal legal officers in many cases, and ended the rule that a later felony conviction blocked sealing an earlier one.
The automated part of the law is the part people misunderstand. The Illinois State Police still has to build the system, a state task force begins meeting in fall 2026, and automatic sealing is not expected to start until 2029, then roll out in stages through the mid-2030s for older records. Waiting on automation can cost you years. If a record is blocking you today, the petition process is still the fastest way to clear it, and we file those petitions now under current law.
How Much Does an Expungement Cost?
Illinois expungement filing fees vary by county and generally run from about $60 to $235, including the Illinois State Police processing fee. Juvenile expungements have no filing fee. Fee waivers are available for petitioners who meet low-income guidelines. Attorney fees are separate and depend on how many cases are on your record.
At Olson & Reeves, we charge a fixed-flat fee for expungement and sealing work, so you know the full cost before we start, and we offer interest-free payment plans. Court filing fees are paid to the circuit clerk in the county where the petition is filed. If you cannot afford the filing fee, the court can waive it, and we file that application as part of your petition packet when it fits your situation.
Why Choose Olson & Reeves
We are local attorneys with a Centralia office, and we handle expungement and sealing petitions across the counties that meet here, including Marion, Clinton, Jefferson, and Washington. We know the filing procedures that differ from one circuit clerk to the next, and the steps that move a petition through without delay. We are also active courtroom litigators, so if a petition draws an objection or a contested hearing, we are ready for it.
What sets the firm apart on this practice area:
- Fixed-flat fees. You know the total cost before we begin.
- Free expungement evaluations. A real attorney reviews your record before you commit.
- Direct work with the firm. You deal with the attorney handling your petition, not a referral mill.
- Multi-county experience. Centralia records cross four counties, and we file in the right one every time.
Clearing a conviction often reopens the door to your firearm rights. When a record affected your FOID card, we handle FOID card and gun rights restoration as a related matter.
Frequently Asked Questions About Expungement in Centralia
If I was arrested in Centralia, which county do I file my expungement in?
It depends on where in the city the arrest happened. Centralia sits in Marion, Clinton, Jefferson, and Washington counties, and the petition is filed in the county of arrest. A Marion County case goes to Salem, Clinton to Carlyle, Jefferson to Mt. Vernon, and Washington to Nashville. Records in more than one county need a separate petition in each.
This is one of the most common mistakes in Centralia cases. We confirm the correct county for every entry on your record during the free evaluation, so nothing is filed in the wrong courthouse.
Does the Marion County courthouse for Centralia cases sit in Centralia?
No. Marion County’s seat is Salem, not Centralia. Marion County expungement and sealing petitions are filed at the Marion County Courthouse in Salem, in the Fourth Judicial Circuit, about 12 to 15 miles east of Centralia. Centralia is the largest city in the county, but the courthouse, clerk, and sheriff are in Salem.
We handle the Salem filing and any hearing for you, so the drive is not something you have to worry about.
How long does an expungement take?
Most Illinois expungement and sealing petitions take about four to six months from filing to final order. The State’s Attorney, Illinois State Police, and arresting agency each have 60 days from service to object. If no one objects, the judge usually signs the order soon after that window closes.
The timeline depends on the county’s court docket and whether any agency objects. A contested petition that needs a hearing takes longer. After the order is signed, the agencies have 60 days to clear the records on their end.
How much does it cost to clear a record?
Court filing fees in Illinois generally range from about $60 to $235, including the Illinois State Police fee, and are paid to the circuit clerk in the county where you file. Juvenile expungements have no filing fee. If you cannot afford the fee, the court can waive it. Our attorney fee is a separate fixed-flat amount based on your record.
We quote the full fixed fee during the free expungement evaluation and offer interest-free payment plans, so there are no surprises once we start.
Can a felony be cleared from my record in Illinois?
Most felony convictions cannot be expunged, but many can be sealed. Class 3 and Class 4 felony convictions are generally sealable after a three-year wait from the end of your sentence, and some Class 2 felonies qualify too. Expungement of a felony is limited to vacated, pardoned, or certain cannabis cases.
We review every felony entry on your record to decide whether expungement, sealing, or a motion to vacate is the right path. Sealing keeps the conviction out of public background checks even though law enforcement retains access.
What cannot be expunged or sealed in Illinois?
DUI convictions and supervision, reckless driving if you were 25 or older, domestic battery convictions, sex offenses that require registration, violations of orders of protection, and animal cruelty offenses cannot be expunged or sealed in Illinois. Most violent felonies and Class X felonies are also off the table. Minor traffic offenses cannot be expunged.
If your record includes one ineligible offense alongside other cases, that does not automatically block relief on the rest. Each case is evaluated on its own.
How does the Clean Slate Act affect me right now?
As of June 1, 2026, the sealing wait dropped to two years for supervision, qualified probation, misdemeanor convictions, and ordinance violations, with felonies still at three years. The drug-test requirement for sealing eligible drug records is gone. Automatic sealing is a separate future system not expected to begin until 2029.
The automated part of the law gets the headlines, but it will not seal records for years and will not cover everything. If a record is holding you back now, filing a petition under current law is still the fastest and most complete way to clear it.
Will a cleared record show up on a background check?
No. After your record is expunged or sealed, it should not appear on private background checks used for jobs, housing, or licensing. Under Illinois law, employers cannot ask about expunged or sealed arrests or convictions, and you can lawfully answer that you were not arrested for that offense in most situations.
Some private database companies are slow to update. If an old record resurfaces, a certified copy of your court order is your proof and can be sent to the reporting company to demand a correction.
Talk to a Centralia Expungement Lawyer Today
A criminal record does not have to be permanent. If your past is keeping you from a job, an apartment, a license, or your firearm rights, our Centralia expungement attorneys are ready to help. Call (618) 316-7322 or use the form below to request a free expungement evaluation. We will review your record, tell you what is eligible and what is not, and quote a fixed fee before you commit to anything.
Olson & Reeves — Centralia Office
Olson & Reeves, Attorneys at Law
217 S. Locust Street
Centralia, IL 62801
Phone: (618) 316-7322
Our Centralia office is on South Locust Street, just off the US-51 corridor through town. Get driving directions.