Understanding the Impact: What Happens to Your Record When You Turn 18?

We frequently hear from individuals who were charged with a crime when they were a juvenile who ask, “What happens to my record when I turn 18?” Often, turning 18 is associated with a clean record and moving on from mistakes you made as a child. That doesn’t always happen though.

Automatic Record Sealing

In most cases, once you have successfully completed your term of juvenile probation your record will be automatically dismissed and sealed. Most judges in courts on the day that they say you’ve completed your probation, will also say, and “Now I’m ordering your record dismissed and sealed.”

There are some cases when for whatever reason your probation might be terminate, but it might not be considered officially successfully completed.

What If My Record Was Not Automatically Sealed?

This might happen if you are somebody over 18 and perhaps the judge wanted you to finish high school and you haven’t done so. The judge may be thinking, “Well this person is nearing the age where I don’t have jurisdiction anymore, so I’m going to terminate them.” Even by doing so, they are not happy that you didn’t graduate high school, so it’s not considered successfully completed.

Instances like these happen from time to time, and if that’s the case your record might not be automatically dismissed and sealed.

However, you are likely still eligible to get your record dismissed and sealed. In that case, you would hire an attorney to write a motion to the court asking the judge to finally just dismiss and seal your record.

There are different ways for it to go. It might be automatic in a couple of cases, and in others it may not, it all depends on you and your case.

What Does it Mean to Have a 707b Offense?

If you have what we call Welfare and Institutions Code 707b offense, which is just the legal code section for serious felonies committed by a juvenile, some of those are not eligible for automatic sealing. So, if you are in a position where you have had a 707b offense and you know that but you’re wondering if you can still get your record dismissed and sealed, that’s another good reason to call an attorney and initiate the process of looking into it and then hopefully getting your record dismissed and sealed.

Get Help from The Nieves Law Firm

If you have what we call Welfare and Institutions Code 707b offense, which is just the legal code section for serious felonies committed by a juvenile, some of those are not eligible for automatic sealing. So, if you are in a position where you have had a 707b offense and you know that but you’re wondering if you can still get your record dismissed and sealed, that’s another good reason to call an attorney and initiate the process of looking into it and then hopefully getting your record dismissed and sealed.

Get Help from The Nieves Law Firm

If you are in the Bay Area and are interested in learning more about our approach to handling juvenile cases or need assistance with the dismissal and/or sealing of your record, we may be able to help. Contact The Nieves Law Firm to schedule a complimentary consultation to see how we can assist you.