The client carried a 45-year-old arrest record from a 1980 AZ Department of Public Safety stop in Phoenix. No charges were ever filed. The arrest still appeared on background checks. Future First Criminal Law filed a Sealing Records Application under ARS § 13-911 in Maricopa County Superior Court, and the judge granted it 107 days later.
At a glance
| Original conviction | No charges filed. Arrest only for suspected Marijuana Possession (ARS § 13-3405) and DUI (ARS § 28-1381) by AZ DPS in 1980 |
| Application filed | Sealing Records Application under ARS § 13-911, 2025 |
| Court | Maricopa County Superior Court |
| Result | Sealing Record Granted |
| Rights restored | N/A (arrest only, no conviction) |
| Time from application to grant | 107 days from application filing to granted |
The challenge
The client was arrested by AZ Department of Public Safety in Phoenix in 1980 on suspicion of marijuana possession and impaired driving. The prosecutor never filed charges. No court case opened. No conviction entered. But the arrest cycle stayed in the AZ DPS criminal history database for the next 45 years.
Modern background checks pull from that DPS database. Employers, landlords, and licensing boards see the arrest entry and ask questions. The client retired and wanted the record cleaned up before the next chapter of life. Arizona’s Sealing Records statute, ARS § 13-911, gives a path to seal an old arrest where no charges were filed. The path is not automatic. You file an application, you wait the statutory period, and you give the prosecutor a chance to object.
What we did
Future First filed a Sealing Records Application under ARS § 13-911 in Maricopa County Superior Court in 2025. The application identified the arrest cycle, the arresting agency, and the absence of any filed charges. We attached the AZ DPS criminal history printout to prove the cycle existed and to confirm no charges had been filed.
We submitted a support letter to the court explaining the 45-year gap, the client’s clean conduct in the decades since, and the public interest in sealing a stale arrest record where no charges had ever moved forward. The prosecutor was served and given the statutory 60-day window to object. The prosecutor did not oppose.
The court reviewed the file, found the offense eligible under ARS § 13-911, found the statutory time frames satisfied, and found sealing in the best interests of the petitioner and the public. The judge granted the application 107 days after filing. The order directed the Clerk of the Court to seal all case records and transmit copies to AZ DPS and to the prosecuting agency.
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If you have an old arrest in Arizona
Arizona’s Sealing Records law (ARS § 13-911) reaches three categories: arrests where no charges were filed, charges that were dismissed or resulted in a not-guilty verdict, and convictions where the sentence is fully complete and the statutory waiting period has passed. An arrest with no charges filed is the cleanest path. There is no conviction to wait out, no probation to complete, no fines to pay. The court looks at whether the offense category is eligible and whether sealing serves the public interest.
Old arrest records do real damage. Employers run background checks that pull from AZ DPS data. Apartment screening services do the same. Professional license boards ask about arrests, not just convictions. A sealed record stops the bleeding. AZ DPS removes the cycle from public release. Court records get sealed. You can answer “no” to arrest questions on most applications.
The application is not a form you mail in. The court wants the right docket entries, the right service on the prosecutor, the right statutory citations, and the right factual record. A complete application moves quickly. An incomplete one gets denied without prejudice and you start over.
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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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