The case ended in a full dismissal years ago, but the arrest and the three charges still surfaced on background checks. Future First filed the Glendale Sealing Records application and the court sealed the entire record under ARS § 13-911 in 20 days.
At a glance
| Original charges | Assault (ARS § 13-1203), Class 1 Misdemeanor; Criminal Damage $250-$1000 (ARS § 13-1602), Class 2 Misdemeanor; Disorderly Conduct Fighting (ARS § 13-2904), Class 1 Misdemeanor, 2022 (all dismissed, no conviction) |
| Application filed | Sealing Records Application (ARS § 13-911), 2026 |
| Court | Glendale City Court |
| Result | Arrest and charge records sealed |
| Rights restored | Not applicable, no conviction entered |
| Time from application to grant | 20 days from application filing to granted |
The challenge
The client faced three misdemeanor charges in Glendale City Court out of a single 2022 incident. Count 1 was Assault under ARS § 13-1203, a Class 1 Misdemeanor. Count 2 was Criminal Damage to property valued between $250 and $1,000 under ARS § 13-1602, a Class 2 Misdemeanor. Count 3 was Disorderly Conduct Fighting under ARS § 13-2904, a Class 1 Misdemeanor. The prosecutor dismissed every count. No conviction entered.
A full dismissal is the right outcome, but it does not remove the record. The arrest and all three dismissed charges remained in court databases and on commercial background reports. Employers and landlords running a background check saw the assault and criminal damage entries first, not the dismissals. A violent-sounding charge history, even one that ended with no conviction, creates a barrier to professional advancement that the client should never have to explain. The only way to clear the record from public view was to seal it under ARS § 13-911.
What we did
Future First filed the application to seal under ARS § 13-911 in Glendale City Court. The application showed that every count was dismissed by the prosecutor, that no conviction ever entered, and that the client met every statutory eligibility requirement under the sealing law.
The application also included a written law firm support letter laying out the rehabilitation case. The client had no prior or subsequent criminal involvement of any kind, and several years had passed since the dismissal. The continuing record was blocking professional advancement and career opportunities. Future First made the legal eligibility argument and the public-interest argument in one filing.
The court reviewed the application, found the offenses eligible under ARS § 13-911, found that sealing served the interests of the petitioner and public safety, and granted the application. The court signed the sealing order 20 days after the application was filed. The arrest, the charging documents, and all court records relating to the case are now sealed and no longer appear on standard background checks.
What our clients say
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If you have an old arrest in Arizona
Arizona’s record sealing law, ARS § 13-911, covers far more than convictions. It allows people to seal records of arrests and charges that ended in dismissal or acquittal. A fully dismissed case is one of the cleanest sealing candidates because there is no conviction, no sentence to complete, and no waiting period tied to a probation discharge.
Even a quickly dismissed case stays on background reports until a court orders it sealed. A sealing order from the judge directs the court clerk, the Department of Public Safety, the prosecutor, and the arresting agency to seal all records relating to the arrest and the charges. After the order, the client can lawfully state in most settings that the arrest did not occur.
If a charge against you was dismissed, you do not have to keep carrying the arrest on your record. A sealing application can move quickly when the eligibility rules are met, as it did here in 20 days.
Related resources
Call us
Want to clear your record in Arizona? Call Future First Criminal Law at 602-900-6240 or request a free consultation. We have handled hundreds of Arizona record removal applications across every statute path. The cleanup is permanent and the process moves faster when handled by a firm that knows the local court.
Anonymized in line with firm policy. Client name not used. Specific dates approximated to year only. Outcome described reflects this client’s actual results. Past outcomes do not guarantee future results. For more detailed information on Arizona record removal law, visit the Arizona State Legislature website.
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