New Jersey: Juvenile Court Records and Law Enforcement Records (NJ-AR-6)

Records relating to an adjudication that would have constituted an ordinance violation if committed by an adult can be expunged upon petition. N.J. Stat. § 2C:52-4.1(a)(3).

Record Detail(s)

Charges adjudicated

Previous Conviction Disqualifying

No statutory language

Mandatory / Discretionary

Discretionary

Hearing

Yes, if objection filed

Clearance Process

Petition-based

Remedy

Expunge

Ineligible Category or Citation

A person is ineligible to expunge a record under this provision if the person has been: (a) adjudicated of any prior or subsequent offense or convicted of any prior or subsequent crime; or (b) adjudged a disorderly person or petty disorderly person on more than two occasions. N.J. Stat. § 2C:52-4.

Procedure General

A petition must be filed with the court in the county of adjudication. For the specific procedure, see N.J. Stat. §§ 2C:52-4, 2C:52-7 et seq.

Fees

Payment of fees is not required. N.J. Stat. § 2C:52-29.

Effect

Expungement means the extraction and isolation of all records on file within any court, detention or correctional facility, or law enforcement or criminal justice agency concerning a person's detection, apprehension, arrest, detention, trial, or disposition of an offense within the criminal justice system. N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:52-1. If an order of expungement is granted, the arrest, conviction, and any related proceedings will be deemed not to have occurred, and the petitioner can answer any questions relating to their occurrence accordingly except in the circumstances specified in section 2C:52-27.

Forms

There is no statutory language on forms.

Waiting Periods

A petition can be filed two years from the date of the petitioner's most recent adjudication, payment of fine, satisfactory completion of probation, or release from placement, whichever is later.

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