expunction

American  

[ik-spuhngk-shuhn] / ɪkˈspʌŋk ʃən /

noun

1. the act of expunging; erasure.

---

Usage

What does expunction mean? Expunction is the act or process of expunging something—erasing, deleting, crossing out, or destroying it. Expunction is especially used in the context of law, in which it refers to the removal of an arrest or conviction from a person’s public criminal record. Expunction can also be called expungement. Example: Many criminal justice reform advocates support the law, which would allow for the expunction of some misdemeanors from criminal records.

Etymology

Origin of expunction

1600–10; < Late Latin expūnctiōn- (stem of expūnctiō ) a blotting out, equivalent to Latin expūnct ( us ) blotted out (past participle of expungere to expunge ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

Justice James Kitchens, one of the four justices supporting expunction, said the effect of gubernatorial pardons in Mississippi has been diminished.

From Washington Times • Jan. 25, 2015

Justice Leslie King said there is no state law that allows for an expunction after a criminal defendant receives an executive pardon.

From Washington Times • Dec. 14, 2014

Justice James Kitchens, in a dissent, argued that there are state and federal court decisions that support a determination that a pardon renders a conviction moot and mandates expunction.

From Washington Times • Dec. 14, 2014

She said no state law provides for expunction upon the grant of an executive pardon.

From Washington Times • Dec. 14, 2014

This double use of expunction and cancellation is not uncommon in our oldest manuscripts.

From A Sixth-Century Fragment of the Letters of Pliny the Younger A Study of Six Leaves of an Uncial Manuscript Preserved in the Pierpont Morgan Library New York by Lowe, E. A. (Elias Avery)