Sealing and expungement
Sealing a juvenile record, so it stays closed to schools and employers
Sealing closes a record to most people who ask. Expunging goes further and, in some places, destroys it. Which one is open to your child, and when, depends on the charge, the outcome and how much time has passed.
I keep the dates for every case I close, and I tell you the day we can file.
Who can ask
What decides whether a record can be sealed
The charge
Most minor charges can be sealed. A few serious ones can't, or need a longer wait.
How the case ended
A dismissal, an agreement or a finding each bring a different waiting time.
Time without new trouble
A court usually wants a stretch with no new charge before it will close a record.
Conditions finished
Fines paid, classes done and probation completed. I help your child finish them and keep proof.
Step by step
How a petition to seal goes
- 01
Step 1: A review of the record
I request the court's record and the police report, and check what is actually on file.
- 02
Step 2: The petition
I draft it, with your child's statement and proof that the conditions are done, and file it with the court.
- 03
Step 3: Notice and any objection
The prosecutor may ask for a hearing. If so, I prepare your child and speak for them.
- 04
Step 4: The order
When the judge signs, I send copies to you and to the agencies that hold the record, and tell you what to say if anyone asks.
Questions
Questions about sealing
Can my child say "no record" on a job or school form once it is sealed?
Usually, for most forms. I'll tell you which questions are covered and which, like some military and licensing forms, are not.
Does sealing erase the case?
No. It closes it to most people. Courts, police and a few agencies may still see it in limited cases.
Can we seal a record from a case another lawyer handled?
Often, yes. Send me the paperwork you have, and I'll order the rest.
Ask when the record can be sealed
Tell me what the charge was and how it ended. I'll tell you the earliest date to file.