Expunction or Expungement - "To “expunge” is to “erase or remove completely.” In law, “expungement” is the process by which a record of criminal conviction is destroyed or sealed from state or federal record. An expungement order directs the court to treat the criminal conviction as if it had never occurred, essentially removing it from a defendant’s criminal record as well as, ideally, the public record." - American Bar Association
Expunction Petition - The formal process (including paperwork) through which a person requests an expunction. This can be performed by the individual whose record is affected, with or without the assistance of a lawyer, or by the district attorney on that person's behalf (at the DA's discretion).
Criminal Offense: Criminal offenses are either felonies (code: F) or misdemeanors (code: M). If you were charged with a misdemeanor or felony, then your charge was criminal.
Infraction: A non-criminal offense.
Violent vs. Non-Violent Offenses: Non-violent offenses are defined by exclusion, in that they are any offense EXCEPT ones from a predetermined list, found here in the NC Legislation § 15A-145.5
Collateral Consequences - sanctions, restrictions, or disqualifications that attach to a person because of the person's criminal history, separate from their formal sentencing. These include collateral sanctions and disqualifications
Collateral Sanctions - penalties, disabilities, or disqualifications imposed by the law as a result of a conviction
Disqualifications - penalties that an agency, official, or court may impose based on the conviction
Certificate of Relief - A court order mandating that the petitioner be granted relief from collateral consequences.
Disposition - the current status or final outcome of an arrest or prosecution (trial)
Understanding different codes: See Form AOC-CR-314 (State of North Carolina Criminal Record Search form), page 2