A lot of good kids get charged with a juvenile delinquency at one time or another in Nevada. Unfortunately, having it on your record may harm your future school and job prospects.
Our Las Vegas Juvenile Defense attorneys have years of experience in sealing records. To learn more about the procedure in Nevada and how we can help you, keep reading this page.
Do juvenile delinquencies stay on my record forever in Nevada?
For the most part in Nevada, juvenile records are automatically sealed when the child reaches 21. This means you do not have to petition the court to seal them … the court will do it on their own.
The main exception to this rule applies if the child was charged with any of the following:
- Sexual assault (rape)
- Battery with intent to commit sexual assault
- Lewdness with a child
- Any felonious offense involving violence (or the threatened use thereof)
If a child still has one of these charges on their record when they are 21, things are more complex. They will have to wait until age 30 to ask the juvenile court to seal it. And if they have since been convicted of any other offense, the court might not seal it.
Can I get my juvenile record sealed before I turn 21?
Sometimes. A kid must wait 3 years after they were judged delinquent to petition the court to seal the record.
What is the procedure for sealing my juvenile record if I am under 21?
The child’s attorney or probation officer petitions the juvenile court for an order to seal. The court then notifies the Nevada district attorney and schedules a hearing.
The Nevada juvenile court usually will agree to seal the record as long as:
- The child has not since been convicted of any felonies or misdemeanors involving moral turpitude, AND
- The child has been rehabilitated
What is the procedure for sealing my juvenile record if I am over 21?
Remember, all Nevada juvenile records are automatically sealed when you turn 21 unless the offenses involved:
- Rape
- Battery with intent to commit rape
- Lewdness with a child
- A violent felony
If you were adjudicated delinquent for any of these, you have to wait until you turn 30. At that point, you may petition the Las Vegas juvenile court to seal the record. The court will then notify the district attorney and chief probation officer and schedule a hearing.
The court will usually agree to seal the record as long as you have not been convicted of any offense other than minor moving or standing offenses since turning 21.
What are the benefits of having my juvenile records sealed?
Once your juvenile records are sealed, you never have to mention them in school or job applications. You can also deny they ever occurred if someone asks you about them.
Note that courts may inspect sealed juvenile records of defendants under 21 who have been convicted of a crime. The court will take the record into account when determining the final sentence.
Additional Resources:
- Sealing criminal records for adults in Nevada: Our informational article on sealing criminal records for adults in Nevada.
- Sealing juvenile records in California: Our L.A. criminal defense lawyers explain the process for sealing juvenile records in California.
- Nevada Juvenile Justice Services: This branch of Nevada’s Division of Child and Family Services serves youth under twenty-one who have been adjudicated delinquent.
- Nevada Child Welfare Services: This branch of Nevada’s Division of Child and Family Services helps assess children’s needs with regard to shelter, foster care, counseling and other services.
Call us for help …
To explore the possibility of sealing your juvenile record, call us. Our Las Vegas juvenile defense attorneys may help expunge your past so you can get on with your future.