In Texas, as in many other states, individuals with juvenile criminal records are eligible to have their juvenile criminal records sealed. This process is very similar to the regular criminal record expungement or sealing process.

To have a juvenile criminal record, a person must have been between the ages of 10 and 17 when they were arrested, taken into custody, or charged with a criminal offense. These include Class A and B misdemeanors or any felony charges. An individual may also have a criminal record if they were charged with a Class C misdemeanor if the justice or municipal court transferred the case to juvenile court.

These records, while generally confidential, can be accessed by police officers, sheriff’s officers, prosecutors, correctional officers, and other criminal and juvenile justice officials in the state of Texas and elsewhere. Additionally, the registry may still be available to potential employers, educational institutions, licensing agencies, and other potentially important agencies. It is important to note that juvenile treatment records, those records related to drug counseling, placement and treatment, are always confidential and can only be accessed by authorized users.

Section 58.003 of the Texas Family Code allows for the sealing of minors’ records. Like adult criminal records, a person with a juvenile criminal record that is acceptable to seal can file a motion to seal their juvenile criminal record. This motion must be filed in the same county in which the original criminal proceeding took place. Once the court seals a juvenile record, the record is removed from the criminal history database.

Additionally, Section 58.203 of the Texas Family Code allows access to certain criminal records to be automatically restricted. Once transferred to this section, the Texas Department of Public Safety may not disclose the existence of the juvenile registry or any registry information in response to an inquiry from:

1. A law enforcement agency

2. A criminal or juvenile justice agency

3. Any person, agency, organization or entity

In fact, Texas law requires the holder of this type of juvenile record to report that the record does not exist. If a crime falls into this category, the person named on the juvenile registry can tell anyone who asks if he has not been arrested, charged, or convicted of any crime.

For more information on sealing or expunging records, visit [http://dallasexpungementlawyer.com/expungement_in_dallas.aspx]. The experienced team will be happy to answer any questions you may have about the record sealing process.