Juvenile Record Sealing Stipulations

In order to qualify to seal your juvenile criminal records, you must meet certain, state-specified criteria. Criteria will include age, type of offense, time passed since the offense, and adult criminal records. Although such requirements vary among states, they are generally across the board with these before-mentioned factors.

Age and Time Passed Since Your Offense

Here in Indiana, you must be at least 18 years old to petition for juvenile record sealing. This means that juveniles, which are people under the age of 18 years old, cannot petition for record sealing. In addition to your age, eligibility largely depends on the amount of time that has passed since the date of the offense or subsequent charge. Some states allow petitioners to file for record sealing as soon as 30 days after their 18^th birthday. Other states require a set time limit, typically 3 to 5 years since the date of the offense.

Type of Crime or Charge

Juveniles can be guilty of all sorts of infractions and offenses. The more serious ones may not qualify for record sealing, such as homicide, sexual assault, murder, and similar egregious federal-level crimes. Lesser offenses, like underage drinking, driving without a license, truancy, drug possession, shoplifting, running away, and similar common teenage wrongdoings, generally qualify for juvenile record sealing.

Adult Criminal Records

Not only must you be an adult, 18 years old or older, to petition for juvenile record sealing, but you must also be an adult with a clear adult criminal record. Perhaps one isolated or minor offense as an adult might not affect your eligibility, but more serious and certainly habitual offenses will cause your petition to be denied.

How to Get Started with Juvenile Record Sealing

To file for juvenile record sealing, you must complete a series of complicated paperwork, which will require you to locate and submit additional, relevant documents, plus pay a fee. And just one mistake on your petition, or a missed filing deadline, will cause your petition to be denied. After that happens, you are no longer eligible to file again. For these reasons and more, it is necessary to hire a licensed criminal defense attorney who specializes in expungement and record sealing services. They will ensure your petition is navigated properly.

Are you ready to get started on your Indiana juvenile record sealing petition? Contact us at 317-636-7514 to schedule a free consultation for criminal record expungement in Indianapolis, and be one step closer to better and brighter future.

You Might Also Enjoy:

When we are kids, we tend to make some regrettable mistakes. But we should not have to be held accountable for them in our adult lives, especially if we are good, legally-abiding citizens. So, it is quite unfortunate for those who are held back from the professional licenses, careers, school admissions, and more, all because of an arrest record they acquired as a teenager or minor. But there is good news for anyone who is experiencing this same quality of life. Here in Indiana, a new law allows those with past criminal or arrest records to expunge or seal them from public access. This means you can have a fresh start at life, and move forward with peace of mind.

Continue reading to learn how to seal or expunge juvenile arrest records in Indiana, including how to qualify and where to get started.

Criminal Record Expungement Attorney 317-636-7514

Benefits of Arrest Record Sealing and Expungement

Numerous benefits come with expunging a criminal record in Indiana. Once a person has hired our seasoned attorneys to get their criminal records removed, they can expect certain rights to be restored to them, as well as, employment benefits, personal achievement, emotional reward, and much more. This new law will open up job opportunities and get more people back to work, repair driving records, eliminate the potential for lost job opportunities, let people feel better about themselves and their past, avoid public embarrassment, and so much more.

Difference Between Expungement and Record Sealing

Criminal record expungement is the process in which a petitioner asks the court to seal all court records and arrest information pertaining to a particular event on a person’s criminal record. Record sealing is very similar, except that if a person was arrested and found or pleaded guilty to a charge, then they can only apply to seal their criminal records. This means these records will not be physically destroyed and will still be accessible by police, federal government, the FBI, immigration officers, and other public officials. But when criminal records and arrests are sealed, they are no longer visible on public background check databases or accessible by employers, landlords, and other general public.

Eligibility Requirements for Arrest Record Sealing

In order to remove juvenile arrest records from your criminal history, you must pass the Indiana expungement eligibility requirements to move forward in your case. These include:

☑ Must Wait 1 Year Following Arrest
☑ No Conviction Resulted
☑ No Current, Further, or Pending Charges

KEEP IN MIND: One of the rules to expunging a criminal record is that a person can only file once in a lifetime. If a mistake is made, it could be the end of your pursuit to expunge your criminal record in Indiana.

How to Avoid Expungement and Record Sealing Errors

It is necessary to hire a criminal lawyer who it well-versed in the new laws to help you with your petition. Call our Indianapolis criminal record expungement lawyers at 317-636-7514 if you would like to petition for restricted access or expunge an arrest from your criminal record in Indiana. We are happy to provide free initial consultations to discuss your case without any out-of-pocket obligations. And our rates start as low as $850!

Expunge Criminal Record Indiana

Tag Archives: Juvenile arrest sealing

Can I Seal My Juvenile Criminal Records?