Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE) Practice Exam

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Study for the Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE). Utilize flashcards and multiple-choice questions designed to enhance your knowledge of paralegal standards and competencies. Prepare effectively and increase your chances of passing!

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What does it mean to expunge a record?

To temporarily hide information from view
To physically destroy or obliterate information
To archive information for future use
To annotate corrections on existing records

The correct answer is: To physically destroy or obliterate information

Expunging a record means to physically destroy or obliterate information, making it as if the record never existed. This legal process is often used to remove criminal records or other sensitive information from public access, effectively erasing the individual's past offenses in the eyes of the law. Once a record is expunged, the individual may legally deny its existence, and it generally cannot be used against them in future legal situations. The process involves filing a petition with a court, which, upon approval, results in the record being sealed or destroyed. This differs significantly from merely hiding, archiving, or annotating records. Hiding information might suggest that it is still retrievable; archiving implies that the information is preserved for future reference; and annotating corrections indicates that the original record remains intact with modifications noted instead of being entirely removed. Therefore, the essence of expunging is the complete elimination of the record rather than any temporary or partial measures.