Can New Jersey Juvenile Court Records Be Sealed?
In New Jersey, juveniles convicted of certain crimes or offenses may be able to get a fresh start by filing a petition in court requesting that their Princeton juvenile crime defense lawyer or sealed. This is a process, which allows offenders to tell prospective employers, landlords, licensing agencies or universities that they have a clean record and have never been arrested or convicted. However, this does not erase all consequences of a juvenile court conviction.
What are the advantages of sealing your juvenile record? If the court approves your petition to seal it, the court then treats the juvenile court proceedings as if they never happened. This means your juvenile court history will not show up if someone, perhaps a prospective employer, does a background check on you. Therefore, sealing your juvenile records can have significant advantages when you are applying for a job, professional license, college admission, or any other situation which might involve inquiries about your criminal history.
The types of records which may be eligible for sealing depend on the age of the juvenile, the nature of the offense committed and subsequent arrests or convictions. The process involves the former offender filing a petition with the juvenile court. Most jurisdictions require payment of a fee to file the petition. There are some circumstances under which the sealed records will remain accessible. An example is when you apply for a job in law enforcement. Also, if you are convicted of another offense in the future, the juvenile record, although sealed, may be taken into consideration and could even determine the severity of the sentence that is handed down.
If your child has been accused of a crime in New Jersey, or, if you would like to get your juvenile record sealed, please contact an experienced Princeton juvenile crime defense lawyer with Lependorf & Silverstein for a free and comprehensive consultation. Our skilled criminal defense lawyers work tirelessly to obtain the best possible outcome for our clients. Call us today at 609-240-0040 to find out how we can help.
