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Washington: Juvenile Court Records and Law Enforcement Records (WA-AR-2)
Records relating to an acquittal or upon the dismissal of charges with prejudice will be sealed immediately. Wash. Rev. Code §13.50.260(2).
Record Detail(s)
Charges terminated in favor of petitioner
Previous Conviction Disqualifying
No statutory language
Mandatory / Discretionary
Mandatory
Hearing
Not applicable
Clearance Process
Automatic
Remedy
Seal
Ineligible Category or Citation
The dismissal of a deferred disposition under RCW 13.40.127 is ineligible.
Procedure General
The procedure is automatic. The court will enter a written order immediately sealing the official juvenile court record upon upon acquittal or dismissal of charges with prejudice, subject to the state's right, if any, to appeal the dismissal. Wash. Rev. Code § 13.50.260(2).
Fees
There is no statutory language regarding fees.
Effect
Upon the record being sealed, the proceedings in the case will be treated as if they never occurred, and the subject of the records can reply accordingly to any inquiry about the events. Any agency will reply to any inquiry concerning confidential or sealed records that records are confidential, and no information can be given about the existence or nonexistence of records concerning an individual. Wash. Rev. Code § 13.50.260(6)(a).
For information on how a record can be unsealed, see Wash. Rev. Code § 13.50.260(8).
For further information on the effect, see Wash. Rev. Code § 13.50.260(6)-(11).
Waiting Periods
The court should immediately seal the record upon acquittal or dismissal.
