Repairing Search Results Following White Collar Legal Trouble
By Jeff Grant
One of the most persistent challenges of white collar reentry is what appears when someone Googles your name. Court records, news articles, and mugshot sites can follow a person indefinitely — appearing in search results for employers, business partners, landlords, and anyone else who looks you up online.
Unlike a background check, which is governed by rules about what can be reported and to whom, a Google search has no such constraints. An article from five years ago about an indictment can rank on the first page of search results indefinitely, long after a case is resolved and a person has rebuilt their life.
What Can and Cannot Be Removed
Some content can be removed directly: mugshot sites often have removal processes (sometimes for a fee), and Google has a process for requesting removal of certain categories of sensitive personal information. Court records on official court websites generally cannot be removed.
News articles are the most difficult category. Established news organizations have strong policies against removing or altering published content. In rare cases — factual errors, privacy concerns — a correction or update may be possible, but removal is almost never an option.
What Works: Building New Content
The most effective long-term strategy is to build new, positive content that outranks the negative results. This includes:
- A professional website or personal site optimized for your name
- Active and complete LinkedIn profile
- Thought leadership content: articles, blog posts, speaking engagements
- Profiles on authoritative platforms relevant to your field
This is a long-term effort — search results don't change overnight — but it is the most durable and effective approach available.
WCSG community member Drew Chapin of The Discoverability Company presented on this topic at our January 2026 Tuesday Night Speaker Series. Read the recap here.
