If you want to expunge your juvenile records, you’ll need copies of them – but you can’t just stroll into any courthouse and ask for them. Here’s what you need to know.
Expunging Juvenile Records: Where to Get Copies (and Why You Need Them)
Your juvenile records list all the offenses you were accused of, the dates you were arrested, the specific charges the state held against you, and the outcome of each case you were part of. You’ll need all this information to ask the court to expunge your juvenile record.
Related: Can you expunge a juvenile record in Chicago?
Types of Juvenile Records
There are two main types of juvenile records that you’ll need to complete your expungement petition: arrest records and court dispositions.
Arrest Records
Your arrest records list all your juvenile arrests, including the dates you were arrested and the charges each law enforcement agency levied against you. You’ll need arrest records from every law enforcement agency that arrested you as a juvenile, whether they’re through Chicago PD, the Illinois State Police, or another police department.
Court Dispositions
Your court disposition records are actually list of important events in your case and the outcome. They’ll show what happened when your case went to court.
You will not have a court disposition if your case never went to court, such as if you were arrested but never charged with a crime.
Where to Get Copies of Your Juvenile Records for Expungement
The agency that arrested you is the only place to go for your arrest records. You will also have to get your records from the courts where your cases were processed. Every police agency has different protocol for getting your records, as do the courts – and if you’re having a tough time getting your hands on your records, you may want to ask your juvenile expungement attorney to perform a background check to get the information for you.
Related: Where to get copies of your criminal records in Chicago
Do You Need to Talk to a Lawyer About Getting Copies of Your Juvenile Records in Illinois?
If you need help getting your juvenile records or with the expungement process, call us at 847-920-4540 for a free case review. We’ll talk to you about your situation and start developing a strategy that helps you move forward toward the fresh start you deserve.
