Ifyourjuvenilerecordsaresealedorplacedonrestrictedaccess,Youareallowedto

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.