Clean Slate Virginia focuses exclusively on expungements, record sealing, and firearm rights restoration. We serve clients throughout Norfolk and the broader Hampton Roads region, and we are actively preparing for the expanded remedies becoming available under Virginia’s new record sealing law on July 1, 2026.

Norfolk Circuit Court: What to Know Before You File

The Norfolk Circuit Court is located at 150 St. Paul’s Boulevard in downtown Norfolk, at the intersection of St. Paul’s and City Hall Avenue. Expungement matters are handled through the Civil Division, which is the correct point of contact for filing, questions, and correspondence.

Key details before you arrive or reach out:

• The Clerk’s Office is open Monday through Friday, 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. This is one of the later closing times among Hampton Roads courthouses.
• The Civil Division can be reached by phone at 757-389-8942, option 1, or by email at civil710@circuitcourtva.us.
• The Norfolk Circuit Court participates in the Virginia Judiciary E-Filing System (VJEFS) for certain civil filings. Confirm with the Civil Division whether your expungement petition qualifies for electronic submission before attempting to file online.
• The court publishes a daily docket at norfolkcircuitcourt.us. Checking it before your hearing date helps you know what to expect when you arrive.
• The Clerk’s Office has published a detailed expungement guide, including a video walkthrough, on the court’s website. It is useful for understanding the general steps but does not address the substantive legal merits of individual cases.

How the Expungement Process Works in Norfolk

Norfolk follows the general Virginia expungement framework with several locally specific procedural details worth understanding before you begin.

• You file your Petition for Expungement with the Civil Division, accompanied by a certified copy of the warrant or charge and the final disposition of the case.
• The Clerk’s Office serves the Commonwealth’s Attorney on your behalf as part of the filing process. You do not need to arrange separate service.
• Once the court has received both the State Police report and the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s response, a hearing date is placed on the Civil Motions docket.
• If the Commonwealth does not object and endorses the proposed order, the matter may be resolved without a contested hearing. If the Commonwealth objects, a full hearing is required and the petitioner must present their case before a judge.

Experienced counsel can help you navigate this process, ensure your documentation is complete, and avoid the filing mistakes that delay or derail petitions.

Eligibility for Expungement in Norfolk

Eligibility is governed by Virginia Code 19.2-392.2. In Norfolk, as throughout Virginia, a charge may qualify when the case resulted in an acquittal, a nolle prosequi, a dismissal (excluding certain deferred disposition outcomes), an absolute pardon, or a situation involving mistaken identity or unauthorized use of your identifying information.

The legal standard that must be met depends on how the charge was classified:

• For misdemeanor charges that were dismissed or nolle prossed, a petitioner with no prior criminal record is generally entitled to expungement unless the Commonwealth demonstrates good cause to oppose it.
• For felony charges, the burden is on the petitioner to show that continued public access to the arrest record causes or may cause a manifest injustice. This requires documented, concrete harm to employment, professional licensing, housing, or comparable interests. A general statement that the record is harmful is not sufficient.
• Deferred disposition dismissals under statutes such as Virginia Code 18.2-251 are not eligible for expungement under current law, because they are conditioned on a finding that sufficient evidence of guilt exists.

What varies by jurisdiction is not the eligibility statute but how the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office approaches petitions locally and how the court processes them. Familiarity with Norfolk’s specific practices matters when preparing both the petition and the hearing argument.

Expungement vs. Record Sealing in Norfolk

These two remedies operate under different legal frameworks and apply to different situations.

Expungement under current Virginia law applies to non-convictions: charges that were dismissed, nolle prossed, or resulted in acquittal, as well as cases involving identity theft or absolute pardons. Once granted, the records are removed from public court and police files. Under Virginia Code 19.2-392.4, employers and state agencies are prohibited from asking about an expunged charge, and you may lawfully deny that the arrest occurred.

Record sealing, beginning July 1, 2026, extends relief to certain convictions for the first time in Virginia. Eligible offenses include many misdemeanor convictions and certain Class 5 and Class 6 felonies, subject to mandatory waiting periods and eligibility criteria. A sealed record is not destroyed but is removed from the public-facing databases used by most employers, landlords, and licensing agencies.

Norfolk’s court has not yet published finalized procedures for record sealing petitions under the new law. We are tracking those developments closely and will be ready to file on behalf of eligible clients as soon as the law takes effect.

Why Local Knowledge Matters in Norfolk

Norfolk is a high-volume jurisdiction. The Circuit Court handles a substantial civil and criminal caseload, and the pace of the docket is not forgiving of incomplete filings or procedural missteps. Understanding how the Civil Division processes expungement petitions, how the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office typically responds, and what the judges of the 4th Judicial Circuit expect from petitioners making a manifest injustice argument requires familiarity with this court specifically, not just Virginia law generally.

Experienced counsel can help you navigate this process, ensure your documentation is complete, and avoid the mistakes that cause cases to stall or fail outright.

Preparing Now for Virginia’s New Record Sealing Law (Effective July 1, 2026)

Clean Slate Virginia is already working with clients across Norfolk and Hampton Roads to evaluate eligibility and prepare case files in advance of the July 1, 2026 effective date. Starting now means you are positioned to file promptly once the law opens new pathways rather than waiting to begin after the window is already open.

Reach out now if any of the following apply to you:

• You have a prior conviction you believe may qualify for sealing under the new law
• You have a dismissed charge or acquittal that continues to appear on background checks
• You have multiple charges from one incident or across different cases and are unsure where to start
• You have questions about how waiting periods, outstanding restitution, or recent probation completion affect your eligibility
• You want to understand whether expungement or record sealing is the right path for your specific record

Speak With a Norfolk Expungement and Record Sealing Lawyer

If you are ready to move forward on clearing your record in Norfolk, working with a lawyer who knows both Virginia law and the specific practices of the Norfolk Circuit Court gives you the strongest foundation for a successful outcome.

Clean Slate Virginia concentrates exclusively on:

• Expungements
• Record sealing under Virginia’s 2026 law
• Firearm rights restoration

Contact Clean Slate Virginia today to schedule a consultation and take the first step toward clearing your record in Norfolk.