Relief for Human Trafficking Victims
If you were arrested or convicted of any nonviolent offenses while you were a victim of human trafficking, you may be able to get a special form of relief. See Penal Code section 667.5(c) for a list of violent offenses; if your offense is not on this list, you may qualify for special relief.
Before continuing, you may want to contact a lawyer who works with trafficking survivors to help prepare your petition and to learn more:
There is no statewide form for this type of request, but if you qualify, under Penal Code section 236.14, you can:
- Ask the court to vacate your convictions. You must convince the court that the arrest or conviction was the direct result of being a victim of trafficking.
- If the court grants relief, the arrest and any convictions are deemed not to have occurred. You can then request that all records are sealed and destroyed.
Prostitution is no longer a felony
As of January 2018, prostitution can no longer be charged as a felony. If you have a felony conviction for prostitution (former Penal Code section 647f), you can get the conviction vacated by filing a petition under Penal Code section 1170.22. Use Forms CR-404 and CR-405 to do this.