After PCN assignment, what must occur before updating criminal history records?

• A. Courts must send dispositions.
• B. Dispositions are optional.
• C. Cards require re-scan for updates.
• D. Updates depend on disposition date.

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is that updating criminal history records depends on receiving the court’s official outcome. After a PCN is assigned, the record isn’t updated until the court sends the disposition—the formal ruling that results from the case (such as conviction, acquittal, dismissal, or other resolution). This disposition is the authoritative data that the criminal history system uses to reflect the final status of the case. Without the court’s disposition, there’s no verified outcome to record, so updates can’t occur.

So the essential step is that courts must send dispositions. Dispositions aren’t optional, there isn’t a routine re-scan of cards that triggers updates, and the update isn’t simply driven by the disposition date alone—the actual disposition must be received and processed before the record is changed.