Expungible, derived from the Latin 'expungere' meaning 'to blot out' or 'to erase,' refers to something that is capable of being removed, deleted, or obliterated. This applies primarily to records, data, or information, suggesting they are considered impermanent or dispensable. The term implies that the material in question can be erased or removed from a record or system, often due to legal, ethical, or practical considerations. The act of expunging implies a deliberate and formal process, resulting in the effective removal of the record or item. This process may be applied to criminal records, medical files, or even digital data where data privacy or retention policies require the removal of the item. It is a contrast to items that must remain.
Expungible meaning with examples
- Due to the defendant's successful rehabilitation and compliance with all conditions, the judge deemed his criminal record expungible, allowing him a fresh start and erasing the stain of the past. This expungement was granted as per the states rehabilitation program and good behavior after the fact.
- In response to user data privacy concerns, the company implemented a policy making specific personal information expungible after a certain period. The process was completely automated and erased all the information which allowed the clients to remove their data in the system. It provided a peace of mind for the clients.
- Following the discovery of fraudulent data, all affected entries in the research database were deemed expungible. This removal was a matter of accuracy of research and data as per legal and scientific compliance standards. A thorough review confirmed all required data erasure, ensuring the integrity of the research.
- The hospital's guidelines specified that outdated and irrelevant medical files for deceased patients were expungible after ten years. Compliance was achieved through a periodic sweep of their database systems. This helped maintain the privacy and reduce storage costs of the clinic.
- Under the new data retention law, any sensitive information collected from website visitors that no longer served a legitimate purpose became expungible. To ensure compliance with international laws all collected user data was constantly reviewed to determine if any data had to be removed.