Procedure for Sealing California Juvenile Records

Our California juvenile crimes defense lawyers can help you seal, expunge and destroy juvenile court and arrest records for cases that occurred anywhere in the state, including Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, Orange County, Ventura, San Bernardino and Riverside.

All of the papers, orders, and reports in a juvenile court file constitute a juvenile record. In fact, a juvenile record also includes all of the papers that relate to a case that are in the possession of other agencies such as the district attorney's office. Having juvenile records sealed affects all of this paperwork and makes it as if the juvenile delinquency never occurred.

What are the advantages of having California juvenile records sealed?

• Sealing juvenile records means that any record held by the police department, the district attorney, or similar agency will be closed and sealed off. When asked about a juvenile delinquency, these agencies are required under California law to indicate that they have no record of the matter.



• Someone whose juvenile records are sealed may legally say that they were never adjudicated or even arrested because of the matter.



• Ultimately, a juvenile delinquency adjudication is different than a criminal conviction. Therefore, someone whose juvenile records are sealed may legally and truthfully answer "no" when asked if they were ever convicted of a crime on job applications.

Who is eligible to have their California juvenile records sealed?

• someone who is at least eighteen years of age and has completed probation or someone younger than 18 who has not been on probation or arrested for at least five years; AND



• who has not been convicted of a felony or any crime of "moral turpitude" since their last arrest or discharged from probation; AND



• whose case started and ended in juvenile court; AND



• who has been fully rehabilitated.

Who cannot have their juvenile records sealed?

• Traffic and parking violations may not be sealed



• Someone may not be able to have their record sealed if they committed a felony or a crime of moral turpitude since they were discharged from probation. A felony is usually a crime for which someone is sentenced to more than one year in jail or prison. A crime of moral turpitude is a crime against the moral standards of society (e.g. fraud, theft, sex crimes). An attorney should be able to help determine if a particular offense will bar someone from having their juvenile records sealed.



• Someone may not have their juvenile records sealed if they committed a crime listed in California Welfare and Institutions Code section 707(b). 707(b) generally includes major felonies such as murder, arson, and armed robbery. There are thirty ineligible crimes, however, and an attorney will be able to help someone assess their chances of having their juvenile records sealed.

What is the process to seal juvenile records?

• A petition to seal juvenile records will have to be filed with the clerk of the county where the juvenile delinquency adjudication took place.



• The petition will include evidence of rehabilitation (e.g. letters of recommendation from teachers, professors, pastors, or other outstanding members of the community).



• The court will hold a hearing to review the petition. The hearing will usually take place several months after the petition is filed. A Notice of Hearing will be received by the petitioner around six to eight weeks before the hearing.



• If a petition is denied, the petitioner may file another petition at a later time. Often, if the court rejects a petition, it is merely to ensure that the petitioner is truly rehabilitated.



• If the petition is granted, each of the relevant agencies (e.g. the F.B.I. or the California Department of Justice) should be contacted to ensure that the petitioner's juvenile records were sealed.

Feel free to contact one of our California juvenile crimes defense lawyers for further assistance in sealing juvenile records. We practice throughout the state, including Long Beach, San Diego, Rancho Cucamonga, Torrance, Pasadena, Palm Spring, Oakland and San Jose.

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