A court disposition code is the clerk’s shorthand for how a charge was finally resolved, and the code tells you whether that charge counts as a conviction, a dismissal, or something in between. Court disposition codes appear on dockets, case printouts, and criminal background reports next to each charge, and they are the single most important entry on the record because everything else — sentencing, background check consequences, eligibility to clear the record — flows from what the disposition says. The codes below are the ones you are most likely to encounter, grouped by what they actually mean for the person on the record.
What a Disposition Code Is
A disposition code marks the final status of a legal matter. It confirms whether a case was closed by a verdict, a plea, a dismissal, or an alternative resolution such as a diversion program. It is not the same as a charge code, which identifies the specific law allegedly violated, and it is not the same as procedural entries like continuances or bail updates that track what happened while the case was still active. When a disposition code appears, the court has reached a final determination on that charge.
One point that catches people off guard: a single case can carry multiple disposition codes if it involved multiple charges. You might see “DISM” next to one count and “GUILTY” next to another in the same file. Each charge gets its own disposition, and you have to read them charge by charge.
Why the Same Code Can Mean Different Things in Different Courts
There is no single national list of disposition codes. Codes differ from state to state, county to county, and even between court levels within the same jurisdiction. A municipal court and a superior court in the same county may use entirely different abbreviations for the same outcome, and a code that indicates guilt in one system can signify an administrative closure in another.
The only reliable way to interpret a specific code on a specific record is to check with the issuing court. Most clerk offices publish their code lists online or will provide one on request. A generic list — including the one that follows — is a starting point, not a substitute for confirming the definition with the court that generated the record.
Codes That Mean a Conviction
These codes indicate that the defendant was found guilty, or entered a plea the court accepted as a conviction. A conviction disposition creates a criminal record and can carry consequences for employment, housing, professional licensing, and immigration status.
- GUILTY — A formal conviction following either a trial verdict or a plea agreement. The most straightforward conviction code.
- CONV — Short for “Convicted.” A general code indicating a formal finding of guilt and the imposition of a sentence.
- ADJUD — “Adjudicated Guilty.” The court has made an official finding that the defendant committed the offense. In some jurisdictions this is the standard code entered after a guilty plea.
- PLEA — The defendant entered a guilty plea and the court accepted it as a conviction.
NOLO (Nolo Contendere)
A “no contest” plea is functionally a conviction for criminal purposes, but it works differently than a straight guilty plea in one important way. The court treats it as a guilty plea for sentencing, but the plea cannot be used as an admission of fault in a separate civil lawsuit arising from the same incident. Someone facing both criminal charges and a potential civil suit from a car accident, for example, has a strong reason to plead no contest rather than guilty, because the guilty plea could be used against them in the civil case and the no contest plea cannot.
ALFORD (Alford Plea)
An Alford plea is one of the most misunderstood dispositions in criminal law. The defendant formally pleads guilty while continuing to maintain innocence, acknowledging only that the prosecution has enough evidence that a conviction at trial is likely. The U.S. Supreme Court held in North Carolina v. Alford that a defendant may voluntarily accept a guilty plea and its consequences while protesting innocence, as long as the record contains strong evidence of guilt. An Alford plea produces a conviction like any other guilty plea. It appears on a criminal record as a conviction, and for background check and employment purposes it carries the same weight.
Codes That Mean No Conviction
These dispositions mean the defendant was not convicted. They are generally favorable, though some leave the door open for the prosecution to try the charge again.
- ACQ (Acquitted) — A formal finding of “not guilty” by a judge or jury after trial. The strongest non-conviction outcome, because double jeopardy prevents the prosecution from retrying the same charge.
- DISM (Dismissed) — The court terminated the charge. A dismissal “with prejudice” means the charge can never be refiled. A dismissal “without prejudice” leaves the prosecution free to refile later, so long as the statute of limitations has not expired.
NPRO or NP (Nolle Prosequi)
Nolle prosequi means the prosecutor decided to abandon the case. This is not the same as an acquittal, even though the charge goes away for the moment in both situations. The critical difference is that double jeopardy does not attach to a nolle prosequi, so the defendant can be recharged later on the same facts. In practice, nolle prosequi often functions like a dismissal without prejudice: the prosecution may refile at any point before the statute of limitations runs. If this code appears on your record, the charge was dropped but not permanently resolved the way an acquittal would be.
STET
A stet is an indefinite postponement of a case, used in certain jurisdictions. The charge is placed on inactive status rather than being formally dismissed. Either party can typically request that the case be reopened within a set window, often one year, and after that period the case can only be revived by a court order for good cause. If the case is never reopened, the charge effectively dies, but it technically stays on the docket rather than being dismissed.
Codes for Alternative Resolutions
These dispositions sit between a clean dismissal and a conviction. They typically involve the defendant completing a program or a period of probation in exchange for avoiding a formal conviction. The details matter here more than anywhere else on the list, because success and failure produce entirely different outcomes.
DEFER (Deferred Adjudication)
In a deferred adjudication, the court postpones entering a guilty verdict while the defendant completes probationary conditions. If the defendant meets every requirement, the case typically ends in a dismissal rather than a conviction. If the defendant violates the terms, the court can enter a guilty finding and impose any sentence within the original range for the offense, potentially up to the maximum. The judge has broad discretion at that point, which makes compliance during the deferral period extremely high-stakes.
A common misconception is that successful completion automatically erases the charge from your record. In most jurisdictions it does not. The deferred adjudication may show as a dismissal, but the underlying arrest and charge remain visible on a criminal history unless you take additional steps to petition for sealing or expungement. Waiting periods and eligibility restrictions apply, and some offenses are never eligible for record-clearing even after successful completion.
DIVERT (Diversion)
Diversion programs route defendants into treatment or rehabilitation before trial, often for offenses involving substance abuse or mental health. Drug courts and similar programs fall into this category. The defendant typically does not enter a guilty plea as a condition of participation, which distinguishes diversion from deferred adjudication in many jurisdictions. Successful completion generally results in the charges being dropped, avoiding both a conviction and a trial.
One practical concern with diversion codes: the disposition on your record may still read “DIVERT,” or the case may still show as pending, long after you have finished the program. If the court does not update the record to reflect the final dismissal, that interim code can show up on background checks and create confusion. After completing a diversion program, confirm with the court clerk that the final disposition has been updated.
PBJ (Probation Before Judgment)
Probation before judgment means the court withholds a guilty finding and places the defendant on supervised probation. If the defendant completes probation without incident, the case closes without a formal conviction. Because the judgment is never entered as “guilty,” a PBJ does not legally count as a conviction for most purposes, which can matter significantly for job applications and professional licensing. A full background check will still show the case existed, but the disposition will reflect the PBJ rather than a conviction.
TRANSFER
A transfer code means the case was moved to a different court or jurisdiction, usually because the originating court lacked authority over the matter. A transfer is not a resolution of the charge itself. The case will receive a new disposition in the court where it lands, so if you see this code, follow the case to the receiving court to find the actual outcome.
What These Codes Mean for a Background Check
The distinction between a conviction disposition and a non-conviction disposition matters enormously when an employer runs a background check. Federal law draws a hard line between the two categories.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act limits how long background screening companies can report non-conviction information. Arrest records and other adverse non-conviction items cannot be reported if they are more than seven years old, measured from the date the charge was originally entered. Convictions have no such time limit under federal law and can be reported indefinitely. The difference between “GUILTY” and “DISM” on the same charge can determine whether that charge follows you for seven years or for life.
Employers face limits on the other side. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission requires employers to treat arrest records differently from conviction records, because an arrest alone is not proof that someone committed a crime. When employers do consider conviction records, EEOC guidance calls for an individualized assessment that weighs the nature of the offense, the time that has passed, and the relevance of the conviction to the job. An employer who automatically rejects every applicant with any criminal record risks violating federal anti-discrimination laws.
Fixing a Wrong Disposition on Your Record
Errors on criminal records are more common than most people expect. A dismissed charge may still show as pending. A completed diversion may not reflect the final dismissal. A data entry mistake can code an acquittal as a conviction. These errors can cost you a job offer or a housing application.
If the error appears on a background check run by a consumer reporting agency, federal law gives you the right to dispute it. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the reporting agency must conduct a free reinvestigation within 30 days of receiving your dispute and either correct the information or delete it if it cannot be verified. If the investigation confirms the information is inaccurate, the agency must promptly delete or correct it and notify the company that furnished the data.
If the error is in the court record itself rather than only in the background report, take documentation to the clerk’s office of the court that handled the case. Useful documents include sentencing paperwork, dismissal orders, and certificates of completion from diversion or deferred adjudication programs. Court corrections can take time, so keeping your own copies of everything the court gives you is worth the effort.
A Favorable Disposition Does Not Erase the Record
A favorable code like “DISM” or “DEFER” does not automatically remove the record of the arrest and charge. In most jurisdictions, the charge and its history remain visible on a background check unless you affirmatively petition to have the record sealed or expunged. Sealing generally hides the record from public view and most background checks; expungement generally destroys the record entirely.
Eligibility rules differ widely. Dismissed charges are generally the easiest to clear. Completed deferred adjudications and diversions are often eligible as well, subject to waiting periods and offense-based exclusions. Convictions are the hardest to clear, and some offenses, particularly those involving sex crimes or violence, may never be eligible regardless of the disposition. The process usually requires filing a petition with the court, sometimes with a filing fee. Because the rules are jurisdiction-specific, the court that handled your case or your state’s judicial website is the most reliable place to find out what is available to you.