In Oklahoma, having a criminal record—no matter how small or old—can follow you around like a bad stain you just can’t wash off. It’s not just felons who get stuck with these burdens; even minor misdemeanors, arrests that never led to convictions, and long-ago mistakes can show up on background checks, sabotaging job prospects, housing applications, and professional licenses. But there is a legal mechanism to clear your name: an expungement. But it’s not a simple endeavor—the laws surrounding expungement in Oklahoma are riddled with specific criteria, strict deadlines, and procedural hurdles. If you get one thing wrong, you might find your petition denied, and your record is still very much open for the world to see.