If you petition the court to seal your records, you could find that there are many benefits in doing so. The juvenile proceedings will be seen as if they never occurred in the first place.

This means that, if you are asked if you have a criminal offense or not, you can legally say no. However, in many cases the sealing will not be absolute.

The expunged juvenile record may be accessible, for instance, to a law enforcement agency that is running a background check on you. Of course, there is an eligibility process that you must go through also.

Am I Eligible for Record Sealing?

There are many factors taken into consideration when a determination is being made to seal your record. They encompass the following:

Age: If you want to have your records sealed, you must be an adult. This means, in many states, that you must be 18 years or older when you make your request.

Offense Date: You may not be able to seal unless some time has passed between the offense and when you are asking for permission. For instance, one may say that you must wait until your 18th birthday and one may wait three years after your birthday as well as from the time your supervision ended.

Type of Offense: In some cases, you may be limited on which offenses you can have expunged from your record. If the crime is serious enough, you will not have an option. If it was a felony in adult criminal court, you will probably not have the option to expunge.

Subsequent Convictions: If you had later criminal convictions as an adult, you may be denied when you attempt to expunge your record.

Speaking to your attorney will give you the best options in the expungement process.

If your state does not automatically seal certain offenses when you become of-age, you may ask the court to expunge your record for you.

If you’re facing criminal charges, call Blair Defense Criminal Lawyers at (619) 357-4977 or contact us online today.