Illinois juveniles looking to expunge their juvenile criminal past will find it easier to accomplish beginning next year. Ill. Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a house bill into law last Friday.

The new bill aims to simplify the process for eligible juveniles seeking to erase their criminal past by automatically scheduling an expungement hearing date two years later when their sentence ends or when they are sent to the Department of Juvenile Justice.

When setting a court date, Judges will have more flexibility and accurate up-to-date information about the young person’s future eligibility likely reducing the number of court appearances.