Whataboutgangrecords?
Restrictedaccessdoesnotapplytogangrecords,butdisclosurewillbelimitedtofederal,state,andlocalcriminaljusticeagenciesforacriminaljusticepurpose. Thismeansthatemployersandschoolscannotaccessgangrecords.Informationinthestatewidegangdatabasemayberemovedincertaincircumstances.
Howdosealingandrestricted
accessbenefitme?
Ifyourjuvenilerecordsaresealedorplacedonrestrictedaccess,youareallowedto:
• denytheexistenceoftherecords;and
• denythearrest,prosecution,oradjudicationeverhappened.
Forexample, oncetherecordsaresealedorplacedonrestrictedaccess,youmaylegally answer “No” when a job, school,or occupational licensing applicationasks,“Haveyoueverbeenarrestedfororadjudicatedofacrime?”Ifyouareunsureabouthowtoanswer,getadvice.Restrictedaccesslawsalsoallowyoutoseekacourtordertogetaccesstoyourownjuvenilerecords.Undercertaincircumstances,youmay also sign a release or seek a courtordertoallowotheragenciesandentities,includingmilitarypersonnel,toobtainyourrestrictedjuvenilerecords. Sealedrecordscanonlybereopenedifyouandyourattorneymakearequesttoreopenthem,forpunishmentpurposesincertainadultcases,orifyouapplyforalicensetocarryagun.
Whatisexpunctionofrecords?
Ifyouareofjuvenileage,classCmisdemeanorsinjusticeormunicipalcourtareconsideredconfidentialandmaynotbedisclosedtothepublic.Ifyouhaveonlyoneconvictionpriortoyour17thbirthday,youmaybeabletohavecertainoffenses“expunged”orremovedfromyourrecord.Ifyouhavehadproceedingsinjusticeormunicipalcourtforfailuretoattendschool,theserecordswillalsobeexpunged.ForoffensesthatoccuronorafterSeptember1,2015,youmayapplytohaveyourtruancycourtrecordssealedwhenyouturn18.
WherecanIgetadditionalinformation?
Expunction:
CodeofCriminalProcedure§45.0216;§45.0541
RestrictedAccess:
TexasFamilyCode§§58.201–58.211
Sealing:
TexasFamilyCode§58.003;§65.201
YoucanaccessTexaslawsonlineat
Foradditionalcopiesorifyouhavequestions,pleasecontactyourlocaljuvenileprobationorparoleofficeat:
Preparedbythe
11209MetricBlvd.,BuildingH,Austin,TX78758
PostOfficeBox12757,Austin,TX78711
Phone:512-490-7130|Fax:512-490-7685tjjd.texas.gov
TEXASJUVENILEJUSTICESYSTEMFILESANDRECORDS
AJuvenile’sGuidetoUnderstandingSealingandRestrictedAccess
APublicationbythe
October2015
WhohasajuvenilerecordinTexas?
Whatdoesitmeantosealarecord?
Whatrecordsarenoteligibleforsealing?
Anyone who was taken into custody or referred to courtfordelinquentconduct,whichisgenerallyClassAorBmisdemeanororfelonyoffenses,orconductindicatinganeedforsupervision(CINS),includingclassCmisdemeanorsandconductthatwouldnotbeagainstthelawifcommittedbyanadult(likedrinkingorrunningaway),orcertainspecificoffensessuchasprostitutionand“sexting”hasajuvenilerecord.Juvenilerecordsarekeptinprobation,lawenforcement,andcourtfilesaswellascomputerdatabasessuchastheJuvenileJusticeInformationSystem(JJIS)maintainedbytheTexasDepartmentofPublicSafety.
HowdoIprotectmyjuvenilerecord?
Whilejuvenilerecordsaregenerallyconfidential,therearecertainexceptionsthatallowpolice,prosecutors,probationofficers,healthandhumanservicesagencies,educationentities,andothercriminalandjuvenilejusticeofficialsinTexasandelsewheretohaveaccess.Therecordsmayalsobeavailableto employers, educational institutions, licensing agencies,and other organizations when you apply for employmentoreducationalprograms.Treatmentrecords(counseling,placement,drugtreatment,etc.)areconfidentialandaccesstothemismuchmorelimited. Sealingandrestrictedaccessareimportantwaysavailablebylawtoprotectyourrecordsandlimitwhocanaccessthem.Expunctionsareonlyavailableinjusticeandmunicipalcourts.
BeginningonSeptember1,2015,juvenilerecordsmaybeautomaticallysealed.Sealingofrecordsisaprocessthatallowsyoutohaveyourrecords“sealed”sothatnoonecanaccessthem.Recordsthataresealedaretreatedasthoughtheyneverexistedandyoumaylegallydenythatyouwereeverinvolvedinthejuvenilesystem.Recordscanbe“unsealed”forverylimitedpurposes.Themostimportantchangeinthelawisthatyoudonothavetohireanattorneytohelpyoufileanapplicationwiththecourt. IfyourrecordswereeligibleforsealingbeforeSeptember1,2015,itwillstillbenecessarytohireanattorneytoapplytosealyourrecords.
Whatisrestrictedaccess?
Restrictedaccessisthemethodoflimiteddisclosureofjuvenilerecordsonlytocriminaljusticeagencies. Theserecordsarenotdestroyedbutremaininplace. Yourrecordsmaybe“unrestricted,”orremovedfromrestrictedaccess,however,foradultconvictionsordeferredadjudicationsthatoccurafterage
17. Ifthishappens,yourdelinquencyhistorymayonceagainbecomeavailabletocertainagenciesandorganizationsthatconductbackgroundchecks. Juvenilerecordsthatbecomeeligibleforsealingafteryouturn17willinitiallybeplacedonrestrictedaccess. Anynewcriminalhistorymayalsoimpactwhetheryourrecordscanbesealedlater.
Whatrecordsarenoteligibleforrestricted
access?
Theonlyjuvenilerecordsthatarenoteligibleforrestrictedaccessarecasesthat:
• werehandledasdeterminatesentencecasesbythejuvenilecourt;
• werecertified(transferred)toadultcriminalcourt;
• wereprosecutedinajusticeormunicipalcourt;or
• involveyouthwhoarestillonprobation,havependingcourtproceedings,orhavebeencommittedtoaTJJDinstitution.
Yourjuvenilerecordcannotbesealedifyouwerecertifiedtostandtrialasanadult,wereplacedondeterminatesentenceprobationorcommittedtoTJJDwithadeterminatesentence,orhaveacontinuingobligationtoregisterasasexoffender.
Whencanmyrecordsbesealedorplacedonrestrictedaccess?
Sealingandrestrictedaccessaretwoverysimilarwaysthatyourjuvenilerecordcanbeprotected.Ifyourmostserious offense was a misdemeanor or CINS conduct(oryouwerechargedwithbutneveradjudicatedforanoffense),thelawnowrequiresyourrecordtobesealedautomaticallytwoyearsafteryouhavebeendischargedfromprobationorafterthelastactioninyourcaseifyouwerenotadjudicated.Tobeeligible,youmustnothaveanypendingcasesoranyadultconvictionsforafelonyormisdemeanorcrimeofmoralturpitude,suchastheft.Informationaboutadjudicatedfeloniesmayalsobesealedwhenyouturn19ifyouhavenotbeencertifiedasanadultanddonothaveapendingcaseorafelonyconvictioninadultcourt.Itispossiblethattheprosecutorwillrequestahearingregardingwhetheryourrecordshouldbesealedifyouwereadjudicatedforafelony.Becauseofthis,itisagoodideatomakesurethecourtknowsyourmailingaddresssoyoucangetnoticeofthehearing.
Ifyouareeligible,yourrecordsmaybeplacedonrestrictedaccessonyour17thbirthday.Theserecordsarenotdestroyedorsealed;theystillexistbutcanonlybeaccessedbyfederalorstatecriminaljusticeagenciesforacriminaljusticepurpose,suchasinvestigationofacrimeorscreeningapplicantsforemploymentwiththecriminaljusticeagency.Foranyoneelsewhoasksabouttherecords,includingemployers,schools,andlicensingbodies,theentityinpossessionoftherecordsisrequiredtorespond,“Norecordsexistforthatperson.”
Whataboutsexoffenderrecords?
Restrictedaccessdoesnotapplytosexoffenderregistrationrecordsbecausethepurposeofsexoffenderregistrationistonotifythepublic.Ifyouarerequiredtoregisterasasexoffenderforanoffensecommittedasajuvenile,youmayhavetherighttohaveyourrecordssealedafteryourobligationtoregisterexpires.Therearealsolegalproceedingsavailablethatmayallowforreconsiderationofyourdutytoregister.