In this report, the author discusses the impact Section 9122 has on Pennsylvanians seeking records expungement.

Section 9122 allows individuals convicted of certain misdemeanors to petition for a court order restricting Commonwealth criminal justice agencies to disseminating information about these crimes only to other Commonwealth agencies.

In addition, Section 9122 also protects those who have obtained such an “order for limited access” from being required to disclose the information covered by the order.

The law also contains a provision ordering criminal justice agencies to “extract” information about the initiation of criminal proceedings against an individual after three years, if the Commonwealth is not pursuing a conviction in that case, before the criminal justice agency disseminates the information to individuals or noncriminal justice agencies.

The author argues that Section 9122 merely made Pennsylvania average in terms of its expungement law and should be accompanied by more clean slate reform.