Juvenile Criminal Records
Despite what you may have been told, your juvenile criminal records are not automatically sealed when you reach the age of 18. Unless sealed by the court, juvenile criminal records will be available to read law enforcement, juvenile justice system workers and probation officers, prospective employers, educational institutions, or if you apply for scholarships or student loans.
Record expungement or sealing of juvenile records is possible, but the procedure for making these requests differs from those of adult petitions. The basic requirements for filing a petition to seal juvenile records are:
- You were not arrested for a felony or a misdemeanor which a jail time sentence could have been given
- At least 5 years have passed since your 16th birthday (you must be 21 years of age or older)
- You have not has been convicted of a felony since your original arrest.
There are many other laws and regulations that can significantly impact juvenile petitions to seal or expunge a record. The potential complexity of juvenile petitions makes it vital that an attorney be consulted at every stage of these requests.
