What is the difference between a dismissal and an expungement?
In dismissed cases, the charges are dropped, but there still is a public record of the case.
In expunged cases, the entire case is removed from the public record. It cannot be found in any public database maintained by the Judiciary and it cannot be disclosed by court staff. [The case still exists on the court and police database for limited reasons]
Source https://www.njcourts.gov/marihashexpunge.html
