Having a juvenile record can be heavy on your shoulders. Despite being tied to your offenses as a minor, these records can linger into adulthood. This could affect your opportunities for employment, education, and housing. While your mistakes as a minor should not define your future, the reality is that these records can stand in the way.
Fortunately, the state allows juvenile records to be sealed under specific conditions, helping wipe the slate clean and give you a fresh start. But how does the process work, and are you eligible? This article covers what you need to know about sealing juvenile records.
How A Juvenile Record Can Affect You
A juvenile record records past offenses that follow you for life. Many people believe that the records of juvenile offenders are hidden or become irrelevant once one turns 18, but this is not true. These records can still appear when applying for a job, college admission, or even renting an apartment. Imagine going for a job interview and being rejected because the employer who interviewed you has access to offenses you committed as a minor.
Any college or university administration or admission department might request criminal records, and having a juvenile record is a concern. Worse still, it could bar you from scholarships or any form of financial assistance, restricting your education.
In housing, landlords conduct background checks before accepting applicants. Your juvenile record can hinder your chance of securing a place to live.
Many people think this information is restricted to law enforcement agencies. However, some governmental organizations, licensing boards, and even some private organizations can ask for juvenile records, which hinders the acquisition of professional certifications and licenses.
What Happens When A Juvenile Record Is Sealed?
When your juvenile record is sealed, people like employers or landlords cannot see it. Sealing your record can be a significant relief because you do not have to worry as much about your past returning to haunt you.
Once your record is sealed, most private parties and government agencies can no longer see it. This relief applies to many areas of life. For example, you can seek education, employment, and housing without worrying about juvenile records.
Note that sealing does not eliminate a juvenile record. There are still circumstances where law enforcement or the court might review sealed records. For example, if you become part of another criminal investigation down the line or apply for specific government jobs. Understanding this distinction between sealing and expungement could affect personal or professional decisions.
Why Have Juvenile Records Sealed?
Sealing your juvenile record is essential for protecting your future. Everyone makes mistakes, especially when young, but that does not mean those missteps should haunt you forever. Having your record sealed can give you control of your own story and ensure the things you did in the past do not prevent you from doing what you want or need to do in life, such as securing a job, going to college, or finding a place to live.
Having your juvenile record sealed helps shield you from background checks. Whenever you apply for a job or want to rent an apartment, someone will check up on you. They will examine information about your past to see if anything raises concerns. Even minor stuff you did as a kid can look like a big deal on this report.
Also, having your record sealed can bring peace of mind. Knowing that inevitable mistakes will not be held against you forever or popped into view at the wrong moment can be incredibly freeing. It allows you to move forward without always worrying about something from back then tripping up progress.
If some jobs or careers would otherwise be closed off due to things showing up on background checks, having those records sealed could open up new fields where you can grow professionally. For example, occupations requiring security clearances or licenses (doctors, nurses, or electricians).
Eligibility for Juvenile Record Sealing
Not everyone with a juvenile record in Las Vegas can have it sealed. However, you can seal your record if you were involved in the juvenile justice system and have since demonstrated rehabilitation. Some specific conditions and timelines need to be met.
To begin with, the court requires that you are at least 18 years old or that it has been five years since the closure of your juvenile case. You can apply for record sealing if you meet either of these conditions. However, it is not enough to meet the age or time requirements. The court must also be satisfied that you have shown rehabilitation. This means you must stay out of further trouble with the law. The court wants to see that you have learned from your past and made positive changes.
Certain offenses, though, can disqualify you from sealing your record. If you were convicted of a serious or violent crime, such as murder or certain sex offenses, you would not be eligible. These crimes carry significant consequences even in the juvenile system, and the law is strict about their impact on your record. If your offense falls under this category, you cannot have your record sealed, no matter how much time has passed or how much you have rehabilitated.
You will likely qualify if your case was dismissed or you completed probation or diversion programs.
How to Seal Your Juvenile Record
Sealing your juvenile record is a formal process that requires attention to detail, but it is manageable with guidance. You start by asking the court to seal your record.
The first step is filling out paperwork. This means completing a Request to Seal Juvenile Records in Las Vegas. Here, you explain why the court should seal your juvenile record. Be thorough and accurate here because the court will use this information to decide whether you are eligible. You need details about your case, such as what you were convicted of (or admitted to doing) when the court case happened and any rehabilitation efforts since then.
Once completed, submit your form to the relevant authority, like the Probation Department or courthouse that dealt with your juvenile case(s) in person. The probation department reviews applications and may ask for more information from you. The department could also suggest things like counseling or community service before making recommendations to the court.
You should include supporting documents with your application that show rehabilitation efforts. Examples might be proof that you completed probation, recent educational achievements, and letters of recommendation from people who know about your positive changes.
After reviewing your request, the probation department sends it to the judge, who can decide on sealing records. There will not likely be a hearing where you have to go in front of a judge unless there is something particular they want more information on.
The judge considers the following:
- Your application
- Their knowledge of what sort of progress young people can make after getting into trouble
If enough personal growth/rehabilitation has been demonstrated, the judge will sign an order to seal the records.
Once this happens, there will not be public access to anything showing past misbehavior(s). Practically, it means employers, landlords, or most government agencies cannot see anything about your juvenile record(s).
When Records are Sealed Automatically
There are situations where you do not have to ask a judge to seal juvenile records—they can do so automatically.
Less Serious Cases Dismissed After Jan. 1, 2015
Nevada law may have already sealed your record if your case fell into this category and was dismissed after this date. The state introduced legislation to stop minors from being followed by minor infractions or lesser offenses into adulthood.
Typically, these are cases where nobody was seriously hurt, and the court did not hand down severe punishment or dropped charges altogether. As long as these conditions apply to you, there is nothing further you need to do because once such a case has been dismissed, it qualifies under state law for automatic record sealing.
Part of the reason behind this change in regulations is an attempt by Nevada authorities at a large scale to help rehabilitation amongst young folk who might only make minor errors – without those blunders becoming permanent roadblocks going forward in life.
Deferred Entry Of Judgment
If you did a DEJ program and then completed it without any fresh violations occurring afterward, the courts will automatically seal your juvenile record. This applies regardless of whether or not yours was the one we're talking about above (although lots fall into both categories).
With DEJ, there is no formal conviction until someone completes probation and any other conditions ordered by judges. These often include classes plus community service hours completed outside a school at parks, where they help keep neighborhoods safe from crime.
Pre-petition Diversion Program
Las Vegas’s Pre-petition Diversion Program is yet another path to automatic record sealing. This program is an alternative to traditional juvenile court proceedings and is offered for low-level offenses.
If you were placed into a pre-petition diversion program, your case never formally reached the court, and as long as you met the program’s conditions, your record would be sealed.
These programs often include community service, counseling, or other rehabilitative measures to help juveniles avoid further legal trouble. The goal is to keep juveniles out of the system entirely, and sealing their records once they complete the program is a vital part of that objective.
How to Find Out If Your Juvenile Record Is Sealed
The timeline alone does not automatically erase juvenile records. You must act proactively to have your data sealed or to examine its potential for automatic sealing. Fortunately, you can find out whether your juvenile record has been expunged, which can give you peace of mind while you move ahead with your life.
First, you should contact the court that handled your juvenile case. You can find out from the clerk’s office the status of your record and whether it has been sealed. To help them find your paperwork, you must provide your case number or other identifying information.
When your case is sealed, the court typically does not have a public record accessible; thus, it is hidden from the public's perspective. Still, it is essential to recognize that courts will keep confidential versions for use alone in certain circumstances, though they are not available to employers or landlords.
You can also look to the probation department to see if your record is sealed. Many juvenile cases in Las Vegas necessitate oversight from the probation department, which has a major role in sealing juvenile records. If your case was processed by probation, they can tell you if your record has been officially sealed. They can likely direct you to the resources needed to confirm your record status if they lack an instant response.
Also, if you participate in a pre-petition diversion program or deferred entry of judgment, you might immediately qualify for automatic record sealing. Searching the court or probation department records will uncover if this automatic process has happened. Sometimes, the court seals your record without notifying you directly, so it is important to check proactively.
Another option for those who completed the process to have their record sealed is to request a background check on yourself. Running a self-background check through services used by employers or law enforcement can help confirm whether your juvenile record shows up. If nothing appears, it strongly indicates that your record has been successfully sealed.
Can Police See Sealed Juvenile Records?
Even though sealed juvenile records are shielded from public sight, law enforcement agencies, including police and prosecutors, can access them restrictedly. Sealed records can be opened by a court order, typically if you are part of a later legal case.
An example could be if you are taken into custody for a new offense. The court can permit law enforcement agencies to check your previously sealed juvenile record in their investigation. The sealed record may affect the charging or sentencing in the new matter.
Can a Juvenile Record be Used Against You?
A sealed juvenile record can usually not be used against you. Nevada’s process for sealing juvenile offenses is designed to give you a new beginning by removing the offense from public view and preventing it from being used in most legal proceedings.
If the sealing of your record is successful, you typically have the right to answer “no” when asked on job applications, housing forms, or school applications if you have a criminal record.
Find a Las Vegas Juvenile Defense Lawyer Near Me
Sealing your juvenile record erases the past and safeguards your future. Having an experienced criminal defense lawyer by you can make all the difference in this process.
At The Law Offices of Martin Hart in Las Vegas, we help clients like you confidently move past previous criminal charges or arrests. Our firm has extensive experience in juvenile defense and record sealing, and we understand how important it is to put your past behind you. Contact us at 702-380-4278 to schedule a consultation and receive quality legal representation.