Juvenile Law Center's fact sheets are sponsored by The Alex Benjamin Norris Memorial Fund.
As you may know, having a juvenile record can make it harder to get a job and can create barriers to your future plans. Some people think that juvenile records are sealed and no one can see them. This is not exactly true. If you have been involved in the delinquency system, you should try to expunge (erase) your record before you leave care so that your record won’t get in the way of your future.
Expungement means that your juvenile record is erased and no one can see it. If you want to ask the court for an expungement, you have to file a motion. You can do this with a lawyer’s help or on your own. For help filing a motion for expungement, contact your public defender or probation officer.
No. To destroy a juvenile record, the subject of the record or any other concerned party must petition the court for its expungement.
The court will expunge your record if it finds any of the following:
1. The complaint is not substantiated (has no basis) or is dismissed.
2. Six months have passed since your final discharge from supervision under a consent decree and no juvenile or criminal charges are pending.
3. Five years have passed since your final discharge from commitment, placement, or any other disposition and no further charges have been filed or are pending.
4. You are 18 or older, the prosecutor has agreed to the expungement, and the court has considered:
Some public juvenile defenders will file a petition for you. Call your county juvenile defender office to find out if you may be eligible for an expungement and if their office will file the petition for you.
Last updated December 2011
Juvenile Law Center's fact sheets are sponsored by The Alex Benjamin Norris Memorial Fund.
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