CourtListener is run by the Free Law Project, a nonprofit. They will remove sealed or expunged records. They review requests case by case. Email info@free.law. Response time is typically 1 to 2 weeks.
CourtListener is one of the more cooperative platforms. The Free Law Project's mission is public access to the law, but they recognize that sealed and expunged records should not be permanently searchable. If you have the right documentation, the process is straightforward.
What CourtListener is
CourtListener pulls data from PACER, the RECAP browser extension, and various state court systems. It aggregates everything into a free, searchable database. Because the site has strong domain authority, CourtListener pages rank well in Google. A page with your name on it can appear on the first page of results.
This is not limited to criminal cases. Civil lawsuits, family court matters, bankruptcy filings, and cases where you were only a witness can all appear. The record does not need to be recent. Decades-old cases surface regularly and create problems for people applying for jobs, seeking housing, or building professional relationships.
How to request removal
Search your name on CourtListener.com. Find every page that references you. Copy the full URLs.
Email info@free.law with your removal request. Include the specific URLs, your full name, and a clear explanation of why you are requesting removal. Attach your sealing or expungement order. You do not need to write a legal brief. Something direct works: "I am requesting removal of this court record because the case was sealed on [date] and the page is causing reputational harm."
The Free Law Project typically responds within 1 to 2 weeks. If approved, they will remove the record from their database. Once they confirm, monitor Google search results. The page may linger in Google's cache for a few weeks. If it does not drop within 30 days, use Google's URL removal tool to clear the cached version.
If your request is denied
Denials happen, especially for high-profile cases or records the Free Law Project considers important for public access. You can provide additional context about the harm. You can work with an attorney to submit a more formal request. Or you can shift to suppressing the page in Google results while continuing to pursue removal.
CourtListener is one of several platforms that republish court records. Justia, Trellis, UniCourt, PacerMonitor, DocketBird, and Casemine all do the same thing. Even after CourtListener removes your record, you will likely need to address these other sites. Our complete court record removal guide walks through the full workflow.
If the case was sealed or expunged, read what happens after expungement. The court order is the foundation. Getting every aggregator to honor it is the execution.
If you have tried these steps and are stuck, or if you do not have the time, get in touch. We handle this every day.