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Having a criminal record can seriously ruin your life. It can keep you from having a job, getting into the college of your choice, joining the Armed Forces, or working in certain professions, such as a teacher, childcare provider, or lawyer. To the extent that you have a record and it can be done, it is advisable to remove it as soon as possible.

Juvenile criminal records are not automatically expunged once the offender is no longer subject to Juvenile Court jurisdiction. To have the records expunged, the offender files a Petition of Expungement with the Juvenile Court for the county in which the crime occurred. A hearing is then scheduled before a judge to determine if the expungement request should be granted. The court will order the expungement of the records if:

1. The original charges were dismissed or were not proven to be true.

2. Six months have passed since the successful completion of a consent decree (a pretrial program in which the case will be dropped if the offender successfully completes the terms and conditions set forth by a judge or juvenile teacher).

3. Five years have passed since the offender was released from Juvenile Court jurisdiction and no other charges have been filed against him.

In addition, the petition may be granted in circumstances where less than five years have elapsed. The court can order records to be deleted when the offender is over the age of 18 and the district attorney consents to the deletion. Before ordering the expungement, the judge must weigh factors such as the seriousness of the crime, the age of the offender, any other criminal history, adult and juvenile, the adverse consequences for the minor if the expungement is not granted, and the public interest in have records maintained.

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