California court disposition codes are the shorthand entries on a criminal record that show how each case ended: conviction, acquittal, dismissal, diversion, probation, or a failure to appear. The specific code matters because it drives what an employer, landlord, or licensing agency is allowed to see and act on, and whether you still have a path to clear the record. A “dismissed” entry and a “convicted” entry describe different legal realities, and the practical gap between them shows up in job offers, housing applications, and firearm rights.
Here is what each of the main dispositions means in California, and what you can do about the code once it lands on your record.
Conviction or Guilty
A conviction disposition means you were found legally responsible for the offense, either by pleading guilty, pleading no contest, or being found guilty at trial. It stays on the record permanently unless you take one of the record-clearing steps described further down.
The code also reflects the seriousness of the offense. California uses three tiers:
- Infractions are the least serious — fines only, no jail, and generally not visible on a criminal background check.
- Misdemeanors can carry up to a year in county jail, fines, or both.
- Felonies are the most serious, with potential state prison time, heavier fines, and collateral consequences like loss of firearm rights and loss of the right to vote while incarcerated.
Some offenses are “wobblers,” meaning the prosecutor can file them as either a felony or a misdemeanor. Even after a felony wobbler conviction, the court can reduce the charge to a misdemeanor when granting probation, or you can petition for reduction later.1California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 17 – Classification of Offenses When that happens, the disposition code changes to reflect the misdemeanor, which is a meaningful shift for employment and housing.
Acquittal or Not Guilty
An acquittal means the prosecution failed to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt and a jury or judge returned a not-guilty verdict. This is a finding on the evidence, not a procedural end to the case, and it is different from a dismissal.
Once acquitted, you cannot be retried for the same offense. The Fifth Amendment prohibits placing a person “twice in jeopardy” for the same crime,2Legal Information Institute. Fifth Amendment and the California Constitution guarantees the same protection independently.3Justia Law. California Constitution Article I – Declaration of Rights – Section 15 The acquittal code on the record is the strongest possible outcome at trial and is the type of entry that qualifies to be sealed under the state’s arrest-sealing statute.
Dismissed
A dismissed disposition means the case ended without a conviction. Dismissals can happen at almost any stage, from shortly after charges are filed to mid-trial. The code usually indicates whether the dismissal was “with prejudice,” meaning the case cannot be refiled, or “without prejudice,” meaning the prosecution could still refile within the statute of limitations.
Several routes lead to a dismissal. A judge can dismiss in the interest of justice under Penal Code 1385.4California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 1385 – Dismissal of the Action The court must dismiss if the prosecution misses the speedy-trial deadline — 60 days after arraignment for felonies, and 30 or 45 days for misdemeanors depending on custody status.5California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 1382 – Dismissal of the Action for Want of Prosecution or Otherwise A successful motion to suppress evidence obtained through an illegal search can leave the prosecution with nothing left to prove.6California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 1538.5 – Motion to Return Property or Suppress Evidence A motion to set aside the charges can succeed when the defendant was held for trial without sufficient evidence of probable cause.7California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 995 – Setting Aside the Indictment or Information
A dismissal without conviction is one of the categories protected by California’s employment law, so the code carries real weight beyond the outcome of that single case.
Diversion
A diversion disposition means the court paused the criminal case and routed you into a treatment or compliance program. If you complete the program, the charges are dismissed and no conviction is entered. On paper, a successful diversion looks like the case was dismissed, which is why this is one of the most valuable outcomes a defendant can receive.
Drug Diversion
Under Penal Code 1000, certain nonviolent drug offenses like simple possession qualify for pretrial diversion. Since 2018, no guilty plea is required before entering the program.8California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 1000 – Special Proceedings in Narcotics and Drug Abuse Cases You cannot have a drug conviction from the previous five years, the offense cannot involve violence, and the charge must involve personal use rather than sales. Complete the program and the charges are dismissed. Fail out and the case resumes.
Misdemeanor Diversion
Under Penal Code 1001.95, a judge can divert almost any misdemeanor for up to 24 months, even over the prosecutor’s objection, with conditions like counseling, restitution, or community service.9California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 1001.95 – Misdemeanor Diversion Domestic violence, stalking, and offenses requiring sex offender registration are excluded.
Mental Health Diversion
Under Penal Code 1001.36, defendants diagnosed with a qualifying mental health condition — bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD, and similar diagnoses, but not antisocial personality disorder or pedophilia — can be diverted into treatment for up to two years.10California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 1001.36 – Pretrial Diversion for Mental Health Treatment The condition must have been a significant factor in the charged offense. The diversion covers both misdemeanors and felonies, but serious violent offenses like murder, rape, and continuous sexual abuse of a child are excluded. On successful completion, charges are dismissed and the arrest record can be sealed.
Military Diversion
Under Penal Code 1001.80, current or former military members suffering from service-related conditions like PTSD, traumatic brain injury, or substance abuse can qualify for diversion.11California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 1001.80 – Military Diversion The program covers misdemeanors and felonies, though murder, rape, and felony DUI are excluded. For felonies, the service-related condition must have been a significant factor in the offense. After completion, the charges are dismissed and the arrest is treated as though it never occurred, with one exception: it must still be disclosed when applying for a peace officer job.
Probation
A probation disposition means you were convicted but allowed to serve the sentence under supervision in the community. The code will indicate which of the two forms applies:
- Informal (summary) probation is used for misdemeanors. You follow court-ordered conditions but do not report to a probation officer. The maximum term for most misdemeanors is one year.12California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 1203 – Probation and Conditional Sentence
- Formal probation is used for felonies. You are supervised by a probation officer, often with drug testing, employment requirements, and regular check-ins. The maximum term for most felonies is two years.13California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 1203.1 – The Judgment
Those caps come from AB 1950. Before that law, felony probation could run as long as five years. Some offenses have statutory probation lengths that override the general limits, so the one- and two-year caps do not apply universally.
Violating a probation condition, even a minor one like missing a check-in, can trigger a revocation hearing. If the court revokes probation, it can impose the original suspended jail or prison sentence.
Warrant or Failure to Appear
A failure-to-appear disposition means you missed a required court date, which triggers a bench warrant. The code stays on the record, visible on background checks, until you either get arrested or come in voluntarily and have the warrant recalled — often possible by showing a legitimate reason for the absence like a medical emergency.
The severity depends on the underlying case. If you were released on your own recognizance on a misdemeanor, the failure to appear is itself a misdemeanor. If the underlying charge was a felony, the failure to appear becomes a separate felony carrying a potential fine up to $5,000 and up to one year in county jail or a state prison term.14California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 1320 – Failure to Appear A defendant out on bail who skips a felony court date faces a felony charge with fines up to $10,000.15California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 1320.5 – Failure to Appear on Bail
Bail is also forfeited when the defendant fails to appear for arraignment, trial, judgment, or any other required appearance.16California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 1305 – Forfeiture of the Undertaking of Bail or of the Deposit of Money Traffic and infraction cases can also draw a $100 civil assessment on top of the original fine.
Cleaning Up the Code on Your Record
California offers several paths to change the disposition code, each producing a different result. Note that California technically does not have “expungement.” What people commonly call expungement is a dismissal of the conviction under Penal Code 1203.4, which updates the record but does not erase it.
Dismissal Under Penal Code 1203.4
After completing probation, you can petition to withdraw your guilty or no-contest plea and have the conviction dismissed. If the conviction followed a trial, the court sets aside the guilty verdict. Either way, the code changes to reflect a dismissal.17California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 1203.4 – Relief After Completion of Probation
The relief has limits. The dismissed conviction can still be used as a prior in future criminal cases. You must still disclose it when applying for public office, a state or local license, or a contract with the California State Lottery Commission. Convictions requiring sex offender registration are not eligible. Firearm rights are not restored.
Sealing Arrest Records
If you were arrested but never convicted, you can petition to seal the arrest record under Penal Code 851.91. You qualify if the statute of limitations expired without charges being filed, if charges were filed and dismissed with no ability to refile, or if you were acquitted.18California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 851.91 – Petition to Seal Arrest Records A separate statute, Penal Code 851.87, covers people who completed a prefiling diversion program run by the prosecutor and were never formally charged.19California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 851.87 – Petition to Seal Arrest Records Following Prefiling Diversion
Sealed records are hidden from most employer background checks, though law enforcement and certain government agencies keep access. The sealed arrest must still be disclosed when applying to be a peace officer or for certain state licenses.
Juvenile records follow a different route. Under Welfare and Institutions Code 781, you can petition to seal juvenile court records five or more years after the juvenile court’s jurisdiction ended, or any time after turning 18.20California Legislative Information. California Welfare and Institutions Code 781 – Sealing of Records
Automatic Record Relief
Since October 2024, the California Department of Justice has been reviewing criminal records statewide and granting relief automatically to eligible people without a petition. Under Penal Code 1203.425, the department identifies people who completed probation without revocation, or who were convicted of a misdemeanor or infraction and completed their sentence with at least one year elapsed. For felonies, automatic relief requires completing all incarceration, supervision, and parole, plus four years with no new felony conviction.21California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 1203.425 – Automatic Conviction Record Relief
Serious or violent felonies and convictions requiring sex offender registration are not eligible for automatic relief. For everyone else who qualifies, the conviction is dismissed and the disposition code updated without any action on your part.
Proposition 47 Reclassification
Proposition 47, passed in 2014, reclassified certain drug possession and theft offenses from felonies to misdemeanors. Under Penal Code 1170.18, anyone convicted of an eligible felony before November 2014 can petition to reduce it to a misdemeanor. Eligible offenses include simple drug possession and theft where the value did not exceed $950. The original filing deadline was removed in 2023, so petitions can still be filed.22California Courts. Record Cleaning – Felony Convictions and Proposition 47 People with prior sex offense registrations or “super strike” convictions do not qualify.
What Employers Can See Based on the Code
For most people reviewing their own record, employment is the main concern. California’s Fair Chance Act restricts how employers with five or more employees can use criminal history. They cannot ask about convictions on a job application or consider them at all until after making a conditional offer.23California Legislative Information. California Government Code 12952 – Fair Chance Act
Even after a conditional offer, certain codes are off-limits. Employers cannot consider arrests that did not lead to conviction, participation in a diversion program, or convictions that have been sealed, dismissed, or granted relief under statutes like Penal Code 1203.4. This is where the specific code matters most. A “dismissed” entry after diversion or after 1203.4 relief signals to a background check company that the employer legally cannot use that case against you. A blanket policy of rejecting all applicants with any conviction history violates both California law and federal EEOC guidance.
If you are trying to figure out what your record actually shows, request your own copy from the California Department of Justice before an employer or landlord does. Reading the code yourself, and knowing which route can change it, is the practical starting point.