A new law in Virginia, set to take effect on July 1, will automatically expunge eviction records for cases that are dismissed. Previously, individuals who faced eviction and either won their case or had it dismissed had to petition to have the record removed. However, under the new law, eviction records will automatically be removed from a tenant’s record after 30 days.
The Legal Aid Justice Center has highlighted the benefits of this law, emphasizing that it will eliminate barriers to housing for individuals with clean records. Victoria Horrock, Senior Attorney at the Legal Aid Justice Center, explained that even cases where the tenant did not ultimately get evicted could still create obstacles to finding housing. With the automatic expungement of eviction records, tenants will have an easier time securing housing opportunities.
However, Horrock noted that there will still be a petition process in cases where the defendant affirmatively wins the case. It’s important to recognize that this law will only apply to evictions occurring after July 1, 2024.
Virginia has been identified as one of the highest evicting states in the country, making this new legislation a significant step toward improving housing access and reducing the impact of eviction records on individuals’ lives.