A recent Iowa Supreme Court decision says that when a case is expunged, the whole record for that case number is cleared.
This means that if your case is eligible, the court removes the case from public view, including the arrest and all related entries tied to that same case number.
This "whole-file" rule can make a big difference when employers or landlords search Iowa Courts Online, because the old case will no longer appear in public records once it is expunged.
Unlike some states that only seal the conviction but leave the arrest visible, Iowa's whole-file rule removes everything associated with that case number from public view. This provides more complete privacy protection.
Because this rule focuses on the case number, careful review of your court history is important to know exactly what can be removed.
Why Work with Us: We handle your case with Iowa-specific expertise from start to finish, ensuring you benefit from this whole-file rule and that your entire case record is properly cleared from public databases.
Take our free 2-minute quiz to find out if your case qualifies for whole-file expungement