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Mistakes you make as a minor should not have to follow you into adulthood. Luckily, in Florida, you can get your juvenile record expunged if the state dropped the case, or sealed if the court withheld adjudication of delinquency. The following explains the legal effects of expunction and sealing, and the steps you must take in order to do so.
Basically, sealing or expunging a record means you do not have to acknowledge the charges in the sealed or expunged records. It is important to note, however, that sealing and expunging mean different things.
With a sealed record [Florida Statute § 943.059], anyone seeking information about your record would need a judge’s order to open it. An expungement [Florida Statute § 943.0585] essentially means your case does not exist in any pertinent databases.
While the state automatically expunges the records of most juvenile offenders once they turn 24 [Florida Statute § 943.0515], it may be beneficial to attempt a sealing or expungement prior to the 24-year mark. Waiting until you are 24 could mean six years of facing job and higher education rejections or apartment denials, all because of a mistake you made as a minor.
Under Florida Statute § 943.0582, if you enrolled in a Juvenile Diversion Program and complete the following, the department may expunge any non-judicial arrest record:
If you did not enroll in a diversion program, you can seal or expunge your juvenile record if you submit a valid department issued certification of eligibility, a $75 processing fee, and a sworn statement that indicates:
The information given above is a good starting point, but it is important to hire a criminal attorney for an all-inclusive list of exceptions and step-by-step guidance on how to properly expunge and seal your criminal arrest record. For legal representation in St. Petersburg, contact the attorneys of Goldman Wetzel today at 727-828-3900.