Connecticut DESPP Record Correction and Clean Slate Hearing Process

When Automatic Erasure Misses Your Case

Connecticut's Clean Slate system processes eligible records automatically, but it doesn't catch everything. Database matching errors, incomplete sentencing records, and technical gaps in the state's legacy systems mean that some records that should have been erased are still sitting on criminal history reports. When that happens, the DESPP administrative hearing process is your correction mechanism.

The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) runs the state's criminal history databases through its State Police Bureau of Identification (SPBI). When their automated system fails to erase a record you believe is eligible, you can force a manual review by filing for a Clean Slate hearing.

Filing Form DESPP-0847-C

The hearing request starts with Form DESPP-0847-C (Hearing for Clean Slate Erasure), available from the DESPP website. The form requires specific information about your case:

• Your full legal name and date of birth
• The docket number for each charge you believe should have been erased
• The court where the case was adjudicated
• The charge, statute, and disposition
• A written explanation of why the offense qualifies for automatic erasure

You'll also need to attach a copy of your official criminal history report from the SPBI, dated on or after January 1, 2024. Form DESPP-0847-C is for eligible offenses committed on or after January 1, 2000. This is the current $75 report obtained through Form DPS-0846-C; DESPP lists a rate change effective October 1, 2026, so confirm the current amount before mailing. The DESPP uses this report as the baseline for its review — without it, the submission is incomplete.

Where to submit: Email the completed form and criminal history report to [email protected], or mail it to the DESPP Legal Affairs Unit at 1111 Country Club Road, Middletown, CT 06457. Phone inquiries: 860-685-8190.

What Happens During the Review

After receiving your submission, the DESPP Legal Affairs Unit conducts a manual audit of the case file. They compare the information in your hearing request against their database records, court disposition data, and the eligibility criteria under C.G.S. § 54-142a(e).

The agency reviews whether the offense category qualifies (misdemeanors, Class D/E felonies, or unclassified felonies with statutory maximums under five years), whether the crime-free waiting period has elapsed (seven years for misdemeanors, ten for eligible felonies), and whether the sentence — including probation, parole, and financial obligations — is fully complete.

If the DESPP approves the audit, it coordinates directly with the Judicial Branch to execute the erasure. The record is removed from both the SPBI criminal history database and the Judicial Branch's court records system.

If the DESPP Denies Your Request

A denial comes in writing with the agency's reasoning. Common denial grounds include: the offense falls within an exclusion category (family violence, sex offenses, firearms), the applicable waiting period has not elapsed from the relevant judgment or release date, all sentence components are not complete, or there's a pending charge somewhere in the system that blocks eligibility.

If you believe the denial is wrong, you can request a formal administrative hearing to dispute the decision. This is a more structured proceeding where you (or an attorney) present evidence to an administrative hearing officer. The hearing gives you an opportunity to submit sentencing documents, court records, or other proof that the DESPP's records are inaccurate.

Record Corrections Beyond Clean Slate

The DESPP hearing process also handles factual errors in your criminal history — entries attributed to the wrong person, incorrect charge descriptions, or dispositions that don't match the court's actual judgment. These corrections begin with a written challenge to the State Police Bureau of Identification; if the correction is denied, request an administrative hearing with the DESPP Legal Affairs Unit.

If your criminal history shows an arrest that belongs to someone else (a name-match error), or if a disposition is recorded incorrectly (showing a conviction when the case was actually dismissed), the correction process can fix these without reference to Clean Slate eligibility criteria. You'll still need your official SPBI criminal history report as the starting point.

Processing Timeline

DESPP doesn't publish guaranteed turnaround times for hearing requests. Timing depends on the agency's review and the complexity of the record. If your case is straightforward — clearly eligible offense, clearly complete sentence, obviously missed by the automated system — include that supporting detail in your submission.

For time-sensitive situations where a background check deadline is approaching, note that in your submission. There is no formal expedited pathway.

The Connecticut Expungement & Record Sealing Guide walks through the full DESPP hearing process, including how to draft the written justification on Form DESPP-0847-C and what documentation to attach for the strongest possible submission.

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