Rockwall County criminal lawyer Constantine G. Anagnostis understands the law, procedures, and penalties pertaining to criminal law, and will aggressively fight to protect your rights.
Sealing in never allowed when:
The juvenile received a determinate sentence for conduct listed in Section 53.0485; or
- The juvenile was found to have engaged in habitual felony delinquent conduct, as described in Section 51.031.
Other restrictions on sealing include:
- The person must now be 21 years of age or older
- Must not have been certified for prosecution as an adult;
- The records have not been used in an adult punishment hearing
- The person has not been convicted of a felony after turning 17.
Section 58.003(c-1) allows a juvenile court judge the discretion to order the sealing of records concerning a child who has been adjudicated of engaging in delinquent conduct or CINS, either felony or misdemeanor, if the juvenile successfully completes a drug court program under Chapter 469 of the Heath and Safety Codes. Subsection c allows the court to order the records sealed immediately without a hearing or after a hearing to determine whether to seal the records.
Under Section 58.003(C-2), whenever a juvenile court orders the sealing of a juvenile’s records based on successful completion of a drug court program. In that situation, prosecutors and juvenile probation departments are authorized to maintain a separate record of the child’s name, date of brith, and the date the child successfully completed the drug court program until the child turns 17. At that point, the records use be sent to the court as soon as practicable after the chid’s 17th birthday for inclusion in the child’s other sealed records.
Juvenile records can be unsealed for use as punishment enhancement. Only adjudication for a felony offense that resulted in a TYC commitment can later be used for enhancement purposes.
A juvenile court is also required to hold a hearing before ordering a mandatory sealing under or a discretionary hearing unless the applicant waives the right to a hearing in writing and the court and prosecuting attorney consent. This allows juvenile courts to expedite the record sealing proceedings, as long as the applicant and the prosecuting attorney agree.
Contact
Collin County criminal lawyer Constantine Anagnostis dedicates his practice to people who are facing criminal charges, with a primary emphasis on DWI, Drug Offenses, Expunction & Nondisclosure Agreements, and Occupational Driver’s License Issues. Collin County criminal lawyer Constantine G. Anagnostis understands the law, procedures, and penalties pertaining to criminal law, and will aggressively fight to protect your rights. Collin County criminal lawyer Constantine Anagnostis provides the utmost personal dedication to each and every case, and truly cares about his clients. You may call 817-229-0319 to schedule a free consultation, or submit a sample case form. At the Law Office of Constantine G. Anagnostis, we look forward to helping you.