Delaware Expunges 64,000 Records Through Automation: A Major Step Forward for Clean Slate

Thousands of Delawareans have just received the second chance they were promised when the state passed its Clean Slate law in 2021.

As of June 1, 2026, the State of Delaware has successfully expunged 64,000 records through its automated Clean Slate process, marking a significant milestone in the implementation of a law designed to remove unnecessary barriers to employment, housing, education, and economic stability. 

When Delaware’s Clean Slate law first came into effect in August 2024, community advocates, as well as many leaders within the government, were concerned about the law’s implementation. As Delaware began processing expungements, it became clear that state agencies were not truly automating expungements, but instead manually reviewing each case. This manual review rate proved to be so slow that it would have taken Delaware over two decades just to get through the pipeline of Clean Slate-eligible records that existed at the time our law came into effect, let alone any newly-eligible cases.

Delaware’s Governor’s office has promised to process more batches of expungements. The aim is to mark the two year anniversary of Delaware’s Clean Slate Law by clearing the bulk of the backlog of eligible cases and getting up to speed on implementation by August of this year. We applaud the Governor’s Office, state agencies, and other state actors for this important, impactful, and continued progress.

This is critically important progress.

When lawmakers passed Clean Slate in 2021, they recognized a simple truth: people who have earned a second chance should not be held back indefinitely by records once the law says they are eligible for relief. The policy was intended to automate expungement for already qualifying arrest and conviction records, eliminating the need for people to navigate a complicated and expensive petition-based process.

Governor Meyer’s announcement of these records being successfully expunged through the Clean Slate system demonstrates that automated record expungement can work at scale in Delaware — and the importance of both government and community leadership to make progress happen. Dedicated and engaged community leaders are helping to make sure the government delivers on the promise made by passing Clean Slate, and committed government leaders have worked hard to make that promise a reality, too: implementing systemic changes that will benefit communities across the state. Delaware is a proof point that the technology and processes necessary to deliver Clean Slate relief are achievable — even when roadblocks appear on the path to implementation.

We appreciate the Governor's Office for moving implementation forward and helping ensure that the law is functioning as intended. That leadership was necessary, and this progress deserves recognition. At the same time, this milestone is not the finish line. Thousands of eligible Delawareans are still waiting for expungement relief. 

The promise of Clean Slate has always been that eligible people should not have to hire a lawyer, pay application fees, or navigate a cumbersome, complicated process. A working system means that when a record becomes eligible for expungement, relief is delivered accurately, reliably, and in a timely manner.

A second chance only works if people know they have one.

As implementation continues, the state should work toward providing a free and accessible way for people to confirm that their eligible records have been expunged. Transparency, awareness, and reliability are essential to ensuring that Clean Slate delivers meaningful relief.

Public awareness efforts can ensure that people understand what relief they have received, what it means for their future, and how to verify their record status.

For many Delawareans, Clean Slate expungement means that eligible records no longer appear on most background checks used for employment, housing, education, and other opportunities. That can open doors that have been closed for years.

By August 2026, we hope to see Delaware expunge all records that are eligible for Clean Slate, and we look to Governor Meyer to provide regular updates as progress continues. The state should continue providing clear public information about implementation timelines, eligibility requirements, and available resources for people seeking to check their status.

Individuals who believe they are eligible but still see records appearing should seek help from the Office of Defense Services or other expungement assistance partners.

Progress deserves celebration. Accountability still matters. And Delaware must continue building on this momentum until Clean Slate fully delivers both the legal relief and practical opportunity that the law promises.

Last but certainly not least, this milestone would not have been possible without the relentless advocacy of Wilmington Alliance, Innocence Project Delaware, Community Legal Aid Services, Inc. (CLASI), Tide Shift Justice Project, the ACLU of Delaware, the Office of Defense Services, The Clean Slate Initiative, Code for America, and countless other advocates who refused to let this issue go unnoticed. When thousands of eligible people were still awaiting the relief promised under the law, these organizations sounded the alarm, demanded accountability, and pushed the Governor’s Office to act. Their collective efforts helped drive the expungement of more than 64,000 records, opening doors to employment, housing, education, and opportunity for thousands of people across the state.