“Oh I would think they can have their record completely expunged....(criminally)”
I do not think so. Many people have tried and some have even gotten a judges order to do it, but I have never been able to find anyone that was successful in doing so. Once in you are in.
All records of the arrest may not be destroyed, even though all the LE agencies are ordered to do so. True, some record of the arrest, etc. may exist after expungement. But the point is, you are granted the right to answer "No" to the question: Have you ever been arrested?
The expungement statutes so provide. The record of the arrest no longer "legally exist".
Yes you can get your record expunged. I have done it for clients who were found not guilty. There is a process and there is a record of the expunging but is CAN MOST DEFINITLY be done. Especially in cases where the charges are dropped.