You completed your diversion program — here is what it means.
Your case is dismissed, no conviction is entered, and the arrest can be sealed. That is close to the best possible outcome.
The Case Is Dismissed
On successful completion of judicial diversion, the court dismisses the charges. Because diversion pauses the case without a guilty plea, no conviction is ever entered — there is nothing to expunge, because there was never a conviction.
What Your Record Shows
After a diversion dismissal, the arrest and case are deemed to not have occurred for most purposes, and you can generally answer that you were not convicted. There are narrow exceptions (some licensing and law-enforcement questions), so it is worth confirming how it applies to your situation.
Sealing the Arrest
To finish cleaning up, the underlying arrest can be sealed. Once a diversion case is dismissed, arrest sealing (PC 851.91) removes the arrest record so it stops surfacing on background checks — the final step to a genuinely clean slate. See diversion vs. expungement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens after you complete diversion in California?
The court dismisses the charges, and because diversion does not involve a guilty plea, no conviction is ever entered. For most purposes the arrest and case are deemed not to have occurred, and you can generally answer that you were not convicted.
Do you have a conviction after completing diversion?
No. Judicial diversion pauses the case without a guilty plea, so on successful completion the case is dismissed with no conviction ever entered. There is nothing to expunge because there was never a conviction.
Can you seal the arrest after diversion?
Yes. Once a diversion case is dismissed, the underlying arrest can be sealed under PC 851.91 so it stops appearing on background checks — the final step to a clean record.
GuidesComplete Guide to California Misdemeanors · Glossary · Penalties Reference.
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Schedule Free ConsultationAbout the Author
Ahmed S. Hasan
San Francisco Criminal Defense Attorney · State Bar of California #364992
Ahmed S. Hasan is the founder of ASH Legal, a solo criminal defense practice based in San Francisco. The firm runs on flat-fee representation: one lawyer, one fee, from arraignment through resolution. No hourly billing. No surprise invoices.
Ahmed is a graduate of Emory University School of Law and a member in good standing of the State Bar of California (Bar #364992). His practice focuses on San Francisco misdemeanor defense — DUI, domestic violence, petty theft and shoplifting, drug possession, vandalism, trespassing, and assault and battery — with particular attention to diversion-track outcomes that end in dismissal under PC 1001.95, PC 1001.36 (Mental Health Diversion), PC 1001.80 (Military Diversion), and PC 1001.83 (Parental Caregiver Diversion).
Ahmed previously served as a post-bar clerk with the San Francisco Public Defender's Office, the city's largest indigent-defense practice. He is a member of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley.
He represents clients at the San Francisco Hall of Justice (850 Bryant Street) and the Civic Center Courthouse. The ASH Legal office is at 15 Boardman Place, Suite 301, San Francisco, CA 94103.
Free 30-minute consultations are available by phone or Zoom. (510) 545-6515 · ahmed@ashlegal.com