How to Expunge a Criminal Record in Expungement Lawyers Bloomington: Steps & Eligibility

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Bloomington, Indiana expungement guide

Criminal Record Expungement in Bloomington: Eligibility, Steps & Lawyer Help

Indiana’s expungement law can allow qualifying arrest records, misdemeanors and felony convictions to be sealed or marked expunged, but the rules depend heavily on how the case ended, the level of conviction, the date of conviction, completion of the sentence and whether new charges or convictions exist. For Bloomington cases, petitions are generally handled through the Monroe Circuit Court under Indiana Code Chapter 35-38-9.

Location: Bloomington, Indiana County: Monroe County Local court: Monroe Circuit Court Law checked: September 2026
Do not file based only on the age of the case. Indiana’s waiting periods are only one part of eligibility. Pending charges, unpaid fines, court costs, restitution, offense exclusions and convictions in other states can affect whether you qualify.
Check eligibility Compare the case outcome and conviction level with Indiana’s expungement categories.
Eligibility →
Calculate the waiting period Indiana uses different time periods for arrests, misdemeanors and felony categories.
Waiting periods →
File in Monroe County Collect every case, complete the petition and file in the proper Indiana court.
Filing steps →
Decide whether to hire a lawyer Complex felony, multi-county and prosecutor-consent cases can benefit from legal review.
Lawyer guide →

What does expungement mean in Indiana?

Indiana’s expungement system is broader than simply deleting one website entry. A successful petition can affect court files and records maintained by state agencies, but the exact effect depends on the statutory section under which the record is expunged.

Arrest / no conviction

Records can be restricted from public access

Qualifying arrests and charges that did not result in conviction can be expunged under Indiana Code § 35-38-9-1.

Misdemeanor / qualifying Level 6

Records become confidential

Qualifying misdemeanors and certain Class D or Level 6 felonies receive stronger public-access protection under Indiana’s expungement framework.

Higher-level felony

May remain visible but marked expunged

Certain more serious felony records can remain public while being clearly identified as expunged.

Indiana uses “expungement” differently depending on the offense category. Do not assume every successful petition physically destroys every copy of the record or makes every felony invisible.

Basic Indiana expungement eligibility

Indiana Legal Services identifies three practical requirements that apply across many conviction-expungement cases:

  • you must not have pending criminal charges
  • required fines, fees, court costs and restitution generally must be satisfied
  • the applicable waiting period must have passed

You must then determine which section of Indiana Code Chapter 35-38-9 applies to the case. The answer depends on whether there was a conviction and, if there was, the conviction level.

Bloomington cases follow Indiana law, not a special Bloomington expungement ordinance. A Monroe County judge applies Indiana Code Chapter 35-38-9 to qualifying local cases.

Indiana expungement waiting periods

Waiting periods are one of the most important parts of an Indiana expungement analysis. The following table summarizes the current statutory framework.

Record type General waiting period Additional requirement
Arrest / charge with no conviction Generally at least 1 year after the arrest or criminal charge, whichever is later No conviction arising from the event; different rules apply when a conviction was later vacated.
Misdemeanor 5 years after conviction No new disqualifying conviction during the required period and other statutory conditions satisfied.
Level 6 / Class D felony not reduced to misdemeanor 8 years after conviction Eligibility exclusions apply; no qualifying recent conviction during the required period.
Other qualifying felony Later of 8 years after conviction or 3 years after sentence completion Court has discretion; offense exclusions apply.
Certain serious qualifying felony Later of 10 years after conviction or 5 years after sentence completion Written prosecutor consent is required.
Prosecutor consent can sometimes shorten the statutory waiting period. Indiana law allows the prosecuting attorney to consent in writing to an earlier filing in several categories. That does not automatically mean the prosecutor will agree.

Arrests or charges that did not result in conviction

Indiana Code § 35-38-9-1 covers qualifying records involving an arrest, criminal charge or juvenile allegation that did not result in a conviction or adjudication.

Indiana’s 2026 court guidance states that the petition generally may be filed no earlier than one year after the date of arrest or criminal charge, whichever is later. The waiting period does not run from the dismissal or acquittal date.

When a conviction was later vacated, a separate one-year calculation can apply from the date the opinion vacating the conviction becomes final.

No filing fee is required for a qualifying petition under Indiana Code § 35-38-9-1.

If criminal charges were filed, the petition is generally filed in the court where the charges were filed. If no charge was ever filed, the petition is filed in a court in the county where the arrest occurred.

Misdemeanor expungement in Bloomington

Indiana Code § 35-38-9-2 generally covers misdemeanor convictions and also certain Class D or Level 6 felonies that were reduced to misdemeanors.

The normal waiting period is five years from the conviction date, unless the prosecuting attorney agrees in writing to an earlier filing.

Other important requirements generally include:

  • no pending criminal charges
  • required fines and court costs paid
  • required restitution satisfied
  • no disqualifying conviction during the required five-year period
  • the offense is not excluded by statute
Reduced Level 6 felony? Indiana court guidance says the waiting period does not restart merely because a Level 6 felony was later reduced to a misdemeanor.

Level 6 and old Class D felony expungement

Indiana Code § 35-38-9-3 generally covers qualifying Level 6 felonies and pre-July 2014 Class D felonies that were not reduced to misdemeanors.

The ordinary waiting period is eight years after the conviction date, unless the Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney agrees in writing to an earlier period.

Eligibility exclusions include certain offenders and offense categories, including some convictions involving bodily injury, sex or violent offender status, official misconduct and specified violent, trafficking and sex offenses.

The exact offense matters more than the old label alone. Two people with “Level 6 felony” records can have different expungement outcomes because the underlying offense and injury circumstances can change eligibility.

Higher-level felony expungement

Indiana separates other qualifying felonies into additional categories.

IC 35-38-9-4

Qualifying less-serious felonies

The filing point is generally the later of eight years after conviction or three years after completion of the sentence. Statutory exclusions apply.

IC 35-38-9-5

Certain serious felonies

The filing point is generally the later of ten years after conviction or five years after completion of the sentence, and written prosecutor consent is required.

Unlike lower-level mandatory categories where the court “shall” grant relief after all statutory conditions are satisfied, some felony categories give the judge discretion.

This is one of the strongest reasons to consult an expungement lawyer. Cases involving judicial discretion or prosecutor consent are materially different from a straightforward dismissed-charge petition.

Indiana convictions that may not qualify for expungement

Indiana excludes specified offenses and offender categories from some or all conviction-expungement provisions. Depending on the section involved, exclusions can include:

  • certain sex or violent offenders
  • specified homicide offenses
  • specified human and sex trafficking offenses
  • specified sex offenses
  • official misconduct in applicable categories
  • certain felonies resulting in death
  • certain multiple felonies involving unlawful use of a deadly weapon
  • other statutory exclusions specific to the applicable section
Do not rely on a generic “felonies can be expunged” statement. Indiana eligibility depends on the precise conviction statute, offense level and facts such as bodily injury.

Indiana’s one-chance rule makes planning important

Indiana Legal Help emphasizes an important rule for conviction expungements: a person generally has one opportunity in a lifetime to expunge convictions.

If you have convictions in more than one Indiana county, you generally must file the necessary petitions in each county, and the petitions must be coordinated within the statutory filing window.

Do not file the first conviction petition until you have searched for all Indiana convictions. Missing an old case in another county can create a serious problem because Indiana’s conviction-expungement process is not designed for endless separate attempts.

Indiana Legal Help instructs petitioners with convictions in multiple counties to file in every applicable county and generally complete those conviction filings within one year after the first petition.

How to expunge a criminal record in Bloomington: step by step

Find every criminal case connected to you

Search Indiana MyCase and collect case numbers, counties, conviction dates, dispositions and sentencing information. Do not limit the search to Monroe County if you have lived or had cases elsewhere in Indiana.

Separate arrests from convictions

Dismissed charges and arrests without conviction use different statutory rules from misdemeanor and felony convictions.

Identify the statutory category

Determine whether each conviction falls under Indiana Code § 35-38-9-2, -3, -4 or -5.

Calculate both waiting-period requirements

Check the time since the conviction or sentence completion and whether you have had another conviction during the required look-back period.

Check for pending charges and unpaid obligations

Review pending cases, fines, fees, court costs and restitution before filing.

Complete the Indiana expungement forms

Monroe County’s court-form page links petitioners to Indiana’s expungement resources, and Indiana Legal Help provides guided form packets for self-represented petitioners.

File in the correct county

For a Bloomington conviction entered in Monroe County, file the qualifying conviction petition in a circuit or superior court in Monroe County.

Respond to any prosecutor objection or hearing notice

A hearing is not required in every case. If one is scheduled, attend and bring supporting documentation.

Keep the signed expungement order

Save the final order permanently. It can be important if a background company later reports the old record incorrectly.

Use Indiana MyCase before filing

Indiana’s official MyCase system is the best starting point for locating public Indiana court cases.

Search by your current name and any former legal names or aliases. For each case, record:

  • county
  • cause number
  • offense
  • offense level
  • conviction date
  • final disposition
  • sentence-completion information
  • outstanding balance or restitution information
After an expungement is granted, public MyCase access can change. Indiana says a granted XP expungement case itself is not available to ordinary public users online, while pending or denied XP cases can remain publicly searchable subject to access rules.
Search Indiana MyCase

Where to file an expungement in Bloomington

Bloomington is in Monroe County. Monroe Circuit Court is a unified court system with jurisdiction over criminal and other case types.

Monroe County Clerk

Charlotte Zietlow Justice Center

301 N. College Ave., Suite 201
Bloomington, IN 47404

Mailing address:
P.O. Box 547
Bloomington, IN 47402

Phone: 812-349-2614

Monroe Circuit Court

Court Services

301 N. College Ave., Suite 302
Bloomington, IN 47404

Phone: 812-349-2615

Regular public hours are listed as Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Monroe County identifies XP as the case type used for an expungement petition filed under Indiana Code Chapter 35-38-9.

Monroe County Clerk Monroe County expungement forms

How much does an Indiana expungement cost?

The answer depends on the type of petition.

Arrest / no conviction

No statutory filing fee

Indiana’s current court guidance states that a petition under § 35-38-9-1 does not require a filing fee.

Conviction expungement

Filing fee generally applies

Conviction-expungement petitions are treated differently. Confirm the current XP filing cost with the Monroe County Clerk before filing because court fees can change.

A person who cannot afford the court cost may also be able to request a fee waiver or reduction, subject to Indiana court rules and judicial approval.

Do not confuse the original criminal-case cost with the new XP filing fee. Monroe County publishes many court fees, but the amount displayed for a misdemeanor or felony criminal prosecution is not necessarily the amount charged to file an expungement petition.

Monroe County Prosecutor and expungement requests

The Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has a dedicated contact for expungement matters.

Expungement contact

Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney

301 N. College Ave., Room 211
Bloomington, IN 47404

Expungements: 812-349-2693
Main line: 812-349-2670

Prosecutor involvement matters because Indiana law gives the prosecuting attorney an opportunity to respond to expungement petitions. Certain serious-felony expungements specifically require written prosecutor consent.

The prosecutor is not your lawyer. The Prosecutor’s Office represents the State of Indiana. It cannot give you independent legal advice about whether filing is strategically wise for your situation.

Will you have an expungement hearing?

Not every Indiana expungement petition requires a contested hearing. Whether a hearing occurs depends on the petition, statutory category, prosecutor response and judge.

If an objection is filed or the judge needs evidence concerning eligibility, you may receive a hearing date. Keep your address current with the court and review MyCase for docket activity.

Documents that can be useful include:

  • certified or official dispositions
  • proof that fines and court costs are satisfied
  • proof of restitution satisfaction
  • sentence-completion documentation
  • written prosecutor consent when legally required
  • records showing that a conviction was reduced or vacated

What happens after a Bloomington expungement is granted?

The local court sends the verified petition and expungement order to the appropriate agencies. Indiana State Police has a dedicated Expungement Section that processes qualifying orders affecting the state’s criminal-history repository.

ISP warns that processing can be delayed when the required paperwork is incomplete.

Indiana State Police

Expungement Section

Phone: 317-234-4427

ISP can answer processing questions but expressly states that it cannot give legal advice about filing a petition.

Indiana State Police expungement information

Will an expunged Indiana conviction disappear from public searches?

It depends on the statutory category.

Lower-level qualifying records

Public access can be restricted

Qualifying misdemeanors and certain Level 6/Class D felony expungements receive confidentiality protections that generally remove them from ordinary public court access.

Certain higher felonies

Public but marked expunged

Indiana Code § 35-38-9-7 provides that records expunged under certain higher-felony sections remain public but must be clearly identified as expunged.

This distinction is critical. “Expunged” does not necessarily mean “invisible to everyone.” The legal effect depends on the Indiana statutory section governing the conviction.

Do you need an expungement lawyer in Bloomington?

Indiana allows people to file expungement petitions without a lawyer. Indiana State Police expressly notes that a petition can be filed pro se or through private legal counsel.

A lawyer is not automatically required, but legal review can be particularly valuable when:

  • you have felony convictions
  • you have convictions in several Indiana counties
  • you are unsure which statutory section applies
  • you need prosecutor consent
  • you want to request an earlier filing date
  • the offense involved bodily injury
  • you have an old Class A-D felony classification
  • a prior expungement petition was denied
  • you have immigration consequences to consider
  • your record contains incorrect or incomplete information
  • you are concerned about Indiana’s one-chance rule
  • the prosecutor objects to your petition
A simple arrest-only petition may be manageable without counsel. A multi-county conviction history or discretionary felony petition carries much greater risk if cases are omitted or the wrong statutory category is used.

How to choose a Bloomington criminal-record expungement lawyer

Rather than choosing an attorney only because a website uses the phrase “Bloomington expungement lawyer,” ask questions that reveal whether the lawyer regularly handles Indiana Code Chapter 35-38-9 cases.

Ask about Indiana expungement experience

Ask whether the lawyer regularly files misdemeanor, felony and multi-county Indiana expungement petitions.

Ask who will collect your complete record

A proper review should identify all relevant Indiana convictions before the first conviction petition is filed.

Ask about prosecutor consent

If your case falls under a discretionary category, ask how the lawyer handles written-consent requests and objections.

Ask for the fee structure

Find out whether the quoted legal fee covers court filing, multiple cases, hearings and additional counties.

Ask what the result will actually do

A good explanation should distinguish confidential expungement from a record that remains public but marked expunged.

Verify Indiana licensure

Use official Indiana attorney resources rather than relying solely on advertising claims or review sites.

If you are ready to hire private counsel, the Indiana State Bar Association’s legal-help page links to its attorney directory, where users can search by location and practice area.

Bloomington expungement court location

Monroe Circuit Court and the Monroe County Clerk are located in the Charlotte Zietlow Justice Center.

Address: 301 N. College Ave., Bloomington, IN 47404. Confirm the correct clerk counter, filing method and current hours before making a special trip.

Expungement preparation checklist

  • search your name and aliases on Indiana MyCase
  • list every Indiana arrest and criminal case you know about
  • obtain case numbers and dispositions
  • identify every county containing a conviction
  • identify the exact offense level
  • confirm conviction dates
  • confirm sentence-completion dates
  • check for pending charges
  • check unpaid court costs, fines and restitution
  • calculate the correct statutory waiting period
  • identify whether prosecutor consent is required
  • review excluded offense categories
  • prepare all counties before filing your first conviction petition
  • keep copies of every filed petition and final order

Bloomington criminal record expungement: frequently asked questions

1. Can I expunge a criminal record in Bloomington, Indiana?

Potentially. Indiana law allows qualifying arrests, misdemeanor convictions and many felony convictions to be expunged or marked expunged. Eligibility depends on the case outcome, offense level, waiting period, pending charges, financial obligations and statutory exclusions.

2. How long do I have to wait to expunge a misdemeanor in Indiana?

A qualifying misdemeanor conviction generally requires at least five years from the conviction date, unless the prosecuting attorney agrees in writing to an earlier period. Other statutory conditions must also be satisfied.

3. How long do I have to wait to expunge a Level 6 felony?

A qualifying Level 6 felony that was not reduced to a misdemeanor generally requires eight years after conviction, unless the prosecutor consents in writing to a shorter period.

4. Can a dismissed Bloomington criminal case be expunged?

A qualifying arrest or criminal charge that did not result in conviction may generally be eligible under Indiana Code § 35-38-9-1 after the applicable one-year waiting period.

5. Is there a filing fee for an arrest-only expungement?

Indiana’s current court guidance states that there is no filing fee for a qualifying petition under Indiana Code § 35-38-9-1 involving an arrest or charge without conviction.

6. Do I need a lawyer to file an Indiana expungement?

No. Indiana permits self-represented expungement petitions. A lawyer can be particularly useful for felony convictions, multiple counties, prosecutor-consent cases, objections, immigration concerns and situations involving Indiana’s one-chance rule.

7. Where do I file a Bloomington expungement?

A qualifying conviction entered in Monroe County is generally addressed through the Monroe Circuit Court. The Monroe County Clerk is located at the Charlotte Zietlow Justice Center, 301 N. College Ave., Bloomington, Indiana.

8. Can I expunge convictions from several Indiana counties?

Potentially, but each applicable county requires its own filing. Indiana’s conviction-expungement one-chance rules make it important to identify all convictions before filing and to coordinate the required petitions within the statutory time window.

9. Will an Indiana expungement completely erase the record from public view?

Not always. Qualifying lower-level records can receive strong confidentiality protections, while certain higher-level felony records remain public but are clearly marked as expunged. The effect depends on the statutory category.

10. What happens after the Monroe County judge grants expungement?

The court distributes the qualifying expungement order to relevant agencies, including Indiana State Police when appropriate. ISP’s Expungement Section then updates the state criminal-history record in accordance with the order.

Official and nonprofit resources for Bloomington expungement

Editorial note: Criminal-Record.org is an independent informational resource and is not a law firm, the Monroe Circuit Court, Monroe County Clerk, Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney, Indiana State Police or Indiana Legal Services. Expungement eligibility is highly fact-specific and Indiana law can change. This page provides general public-information guidance and is not legal advice. For an important or complex case, verify the current statute, court rules and local filing requirements or consult a licensed Indiana attorney.

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