Monday

Juvenile Record Sealing

Sealing Texas Juvenile Criminal Records


The State of Texas allows the sealing of most juvenile criminal records. Hire Board Certified Juvenile Law Attorney James (Jim) Sullivan to file a petition to seal your juvenile records (i.e. expunge). Having these records sealed by an attorney ensures your or your child's juvenile record doesn't show up on criminal background checks. Colleges, prospective employers and the military all do criminal background checks on applicants. Unlike adult non-disclosure (record sealing) cases, a juvenile is not required to be sentenced to adjudication probation.  Even if a juvenile is convicted of a crime, a juvenile's delinquent record can be sealed as long as he or she:
  1. Did not receive a determinate sentence (which may have been determinate probation or a determinate sentence to the TJJD).
  2. Is not currently registered as a sex offender.
  3. Was not certified to be tried as an adult.
Juveniles can get felony records sealed at age 19 (and possibly sooner if the juvenile successfully completed a drug court program or a sex offender treatment program) and misdemeanor records sealed two years after the end of probation. If a juvenile successfully completes a deferred prosecution (a form of pretrial diversion), the juvenile can petition the court to seal his records as soon as he successfully completes the deferred prosecution (usually 6 months).

Juveniles have their entire lives ahead of them, so do not let one mistake as a teenager ruin your or your child's entire future. Call Board Certified Houston Juvenile Law Attorney James Sullivan at 281-546-6428 to have him file a petition today to seal your juvenile's records. Sullivan has been board certified since 2004 and practicing juvenile law since 1994.