Expunging Juvenile Records in California

If you spent time in juvie, and you don’t qualify to seal your records, you can still petition to expunge your case.

If the court grants your petition, it will set aside the finding of guilt, dismiss the case, and release you from all penalties resulting from it. That’s what the statute says, anyway.

In reality, an expungement doesn’t erase the past or wipe the slate clean. It won’t seal your records and destroy them. It can’t spare you from registering as a sex offender. And if you pick up another case, the prior can be used against you as a strike or other enhancement.

But it’s still worth it because it reflects your rehabilitation and efforts toward it. Your rap sheet will no longer show a conviction as the last line item for the case. Instead, it will show the case as being dismissed. In most situations, you can legally answer that you don’t have a conviction at all. In all situations, you can at least say that the conviction was dismissed, because it was. That can improve your odds of getting that job, loan, housing, or license.

So it gives you a fresh start.