State public defenders reached an agreement with the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office last week to process expungements more quickly.

The consent order, issued by the state Supreme Court, stems from a lawsuit the state Office of the Public Defender filed earlier this year against the prosecutor’s office. Public defenders alleged prosecutors were delaying expungement applications.

The lawsuit said hundreds of Essex County residents waited more than 60 days, with some waiting months and up to a year for expungements. That exceeded the timelines required by state law.

Expungements seal all criminal records in court and police files, meaning a conviction will no longer appear on a background check. In most cases, applicants must wait after completing their sentence before applying, depen

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