A juvenile record can affect your future in Pennsylvania by making it harder for you to complete your education, find the kind of job you want, and support yourself financially.
The Pennsylvania criminal defense lawyer at our firm will explain what a juvenile record could mean for you and work to minimize any negative effects.
Consequences of a Juvenile Record in PA
Having a juvenile record—even if the charges were ultimately dismissed—could have a big impact on your life:
- A juvenile record could affect college in PA. Colleges may look down on prospective students with juvenile records. Also, while most juveniles do not go to jail, the stress of dealing with delinquency charges may distract you from your studies, potentially affecting your grades or even making it harder to graduate on time.
- A juvenile record could impact your job in PA. Getting lower grades could limit the jobs you can apply for. Even if you do complete college, some jobs do not want to hire those with a record.
- A juvenile record could affect your finances in PA. Juveniles generally do not face large fines, so the greater economic impact comes from being unable to find a job that pays well.
Can Juvenile Records Be Sealed in Pennsylvania?
The good news is that you have the option of expunging your juvenile record when you turn 18. The Pennsylvania juvenile expungement process involves petitioning the court where your case was heard and asking them to seal your record from public view. Our juvenile defense attorney can guide you through this process.
Once your record is sealed, no one outside of law enforcement and the courts will ever be able to look at it. This can mitigate many of the negative effects of a juvenile record, as potential employers, landlords, and educational institutions will not be able to find out about your arrest or conviction.
It may be easier to expunge your record if you were only arrested or accused of a crime rather than convicted. Our legal team can work to get the charges against you dropped by:
- Carefully investigating the charges
- Working with the prosecution to see if we can make a deal of some kind
- Representing you at all hearings
- Explaining your rights so you can work together as a family to make the right legal decisions for you
- Managing all paperwork, including expungement petitions, throughout your case
Let Our Pennsylvania Juvenile Criminal Defense Lawyer Protect Your Future
McKenzie Law Firm, P.C., does not want a juvenile record to affect your future in Pennsylvania. Call now to get a free case review. No outcome is inevitable, and our legal team can fight hard to help you avoid the worst possible consequences of a juvenile record.
