Is There a Way to Erase Your Juvenile Criminal Record in Jefferson County? Yes!

We all know that kids make mistakes and the hope is that they learn from them and move on with their lives. However, when criminal mistakes are made in Denver, Colorado there is not often the chance to move on. Juvenile criminal records will come back to haunt your kids as they apply for jobs, housing, and college later in life. A criminal record will cause people to be prejudice against them, and they may lose opportunities that they might not have lost with a clean slate. Wouldn't it be nice if there were a way to erase those crimes from your son or daughter's records so they are deemed to never have existed? Depending on the nature of the crime, there might be a way to do just that, and it is called expungement.

What is Expungement in Douglas & Arapahoe County?

Some people may confuse Expungement with Sealing a record. A sealed record can still be accessed if a court order is issued, but Expungement is even better. C.R.S. 19-1-103 (48) defines Expungement as “the designation of juvenile delinquency records whereby such records are deemed never to have existed.” This means that after the record is expunged, no police officer, district attorney, judge, or member of the public will be able to see any record of the crime, arrest, court, or time spent in a juvenile detention facility. This also means that your teen can legally deny on applications that they have committed a crime or have been arrested (in regards to the crime that was expunged).

What Crimes Cannot Be Expunged in Adams County?

If you or your child committed a violent or aggravated crime, your petition for Expungement would most likely be denied. C.R.S. 19-306 (8) provides that “a court shall not expunge the record of a person who is:

(a)  Adjudicated as an aggravated juvenile offender pursuant to section 19-2-516 (4) or as a violent juvenile offender pursuant to section 19-2-516 (3);

(b)  Adjudicated of homicide and related offenses pursuant to part 1 of article 3 of title 18;

(c)  Adjudicated for a felony offense involving unlawful sexual behavior as described in section 16-22-102 (9); or

(d)  Charged, adjudicated, or convicted of any offense or infraction pursuant to title 42.” 

Denver Lawyer for Expungement of Juvenile Records

If the crime does not fall under the categories listed above (or you are unsure), and you believe that you or your child would benefit from Expungement of Juvenile records, contact the experienced Denver defense lawyers at Sawyer Legal Group. Call us today at 303-830-0880 to set up a free initial consultation. Together, we can protect your future. Request a Free Consultation