Criminal charge and court outcome translator
Find the plain-English meaning of a court record term, then check what the outcome does—and does not—tell you about reporting.
Short answer
Does a dismissed or deferred charge count as a conviction on a background check?
Not always. The court's label alone is not enough: examine any plea, finding, supervision, dismissal, sealing order and applicable reporting law. In Aldaco v. RentGrow, the Seventh Circuit held that a guilty plea followed by supervision and dismissal was a conviction under the federal FCRA definition, despite its state-law disposition. That ruling does not classify every deferred case.
Look up a court outcome
Search by court term or question. Each result has a dedicated link you can share.
14 outcomes found
Dismissed charge
The court ended the charge without a conviction on that charge. A dismissal does not necessarily erase the arrest or earlier proceedings.
Read outcome →Nolle prosequi
The prosecutor chose not to proceed with a charge at that point. It is not an acquittal or a conviction by itself.
Read outcome →Acquittal / not guilty
The fact finder did not find the defendant guilty of the charge. This is not a conviction.
Read outcome →Pending charge
A criminal charge remains unresolved. It is not a conviction.
Read outcome →Conviction
A finding or plea of guilt resulting in a conviction under the applicable framework. The precise classification of a particular disposition can require legal analysis.
Read outcome →Guilty plea
A defendant formally admits guilt in court. Later dismissal or deferral does not necessarily erase the plea's significance under federal reporting law.
Read outcome →No-contest / nolo contendere plea
A defendant does not contest the charge but does not expressly admit guilt. The resulting judgment and local law determine how the outcome is classified.
Read outcome →Deferred adjudication
The court postpones a final adjudication while conditions are completed. What happens afterward, including dismissal, depends on the jurisdiction and case.
Read outcome →Deferred judgment
Entry of judgment is postponed while the person completes court-ordered terms. The effect of completion differs by jurisdiction and the actual plea and court orders.
Read outcome →Deferred disposition
The court delays final resolution while conditions are completed. Possible later dismissal does not by itself describe what plea or findings occurred.
Read outcome →Judicial diversion
A court-supervised alternative that can lead to dismissal after specified conditions. Programs differ, including whether there was any plea or finding of guilt.
Read outcome →Deferred sentence
The court postpones sentencing or its final effect while conditions are met. The plea, judgment and eventual disposition determine its significance.
Read outcome →Expunged record
A record was removed or restricted through a legal process. The precise effect varies by jurisdiction and order.
Read outcome →Sealed record
Access to the court record is restricted under a statute or court order. Sealing is not always identical to expungement.
Read outcome →Why a deferred dismissal needs a closer look
See Aldaco v. RentGrow, Inc., 921 F.3d 685 (7th Cir. 2019) (Easterbrook, J.). The case concerned a tenant-screening report, a guilty plea to battery, court supervision and a later dismissal; the record had not been expunged. The court held that federal, not state, law supplied the meaning of “conviction” for the FCRA reporting-time exception in that case. It did not hold that every diversion program, dismissal or sealed record is reportable.
For the reporting limits, read 15 U.S.C. § 1681c(a). For employment decisions, also review the lookback lookup and individualized assessment worksheet.