Having a criminal record can negatively affect various aspects of your life. However, you may be eligible for record sealing or expungements. Many people in California do not understand the difference between these two ways of clearing your criminal record.nnContrary to popular belief, record sealing does not involve the complete removal of the criminal record. Even if your records are sealed, they will still exist and can be accessed with a court order. Expungement, on the other hand, means that your records are completely removed from the public record.