Juvenile records for certain serious offenses in California are available to the public unless they are sealed. This means they may be available to a future employer, shared with your school, and looked at for purposes of joining the military, renting an apartment, and evaluating immigration status.
Figuring out whether your juvenile record can be sealed is tricky. Therefore, it is important to talk to an experienced attorney to guide you through the process. Here are a few tips:
As of January 1, 2016, if you "satisfactorily completed" probation, the judge should automatically seal your record. However, your record is not eligible to be automatically sealed if you were adjudicated for a 707(b) offense that was committed when you were 14 years old or older.
If you "satisfactorily completed" probation before January 1, 2016, or you completed probation unsatisfactorily, you may still be able to get your record sealed by filing a request with the probation department after you turn 18 or five years after your case has ended (whichever comes first). There are a number of factors the court must look at.
If you were adjudicated of a 707(b) offense that was committed when you were 14 years old or older and you were not committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), you can request to seal your juvenile record once you turn 18 and have completed probation.
If you were adjudicated of a 707(b) offense that was committed when you were 14 years old or older and you were committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), you can request to seal your juvenile record once you turn 21 and have completed probation.You will be required to show that you have been rehabilitated.
As of January 1, 2018, if your case is dismissed, your record should be automatically sealed . If your case was dismissed before January 1, 2018, you will have to file a request with the probation department after you turn 18 or five years after your case was dismissed (whichever comes first.) Since the time of the dismissal, you must not have been convicted of a felony or a severe misdemeanor to be eligible.
If you were arrested but never charged or brought to court, you may get your arrest record sealed by filing a request with the probation department after you turn 18 or five years after you were arrested (whichever comes first.) To be eligible, you must not have a conviction for a felony or a severe misdemeanor.
At LOPAS LAW, we believe that sealing a juvenile record and thus eliminating the collateral consequences that come with it, is an important and often overlooked step toward a fresh start. If you or a loved one is saddled with a juvenile record preventing you from moving forward in your life, we invite you to contact our experienced record sealing attorney's to guide your through this process and to advocate on your behalf.
To learn more about how LOPAS LAW can immediately begin to defend you, contact us today for your FREE CONSULTATION and Case Quote: (800)595-4932.
