Setting Aside a Juvenile Adjudication – Expungement Attorney

A juvenile indiscretion should not be a lifelong anchor on someone’s reputation and character. It is possible to set aside a juvenile adjudication, and we can help get it done.

A Negative Moment In Time Should Not Shape Your Future

One of the most common expressions is “everyone makes mistakes.” A young person who has a lapse in judgment should not have their lives forever shaped by that unfortunate moment in time. At LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C., our Michigan juvenile expungement attorneys cannot stand by idly and watch our clients’ lives be ruined by some isolated event that occurred when they were under the age of seventeen. Most people do not realize that juvenile adjudications stay on a person’s record until they are 31 years old.

The Michigan family court’s jurisdiction generally includes youths under seventeen years old who violate any municipal ordinance or Michigan law (felony or misdemeanor). Adjudications within family courts are not criminal convictions, as family court proceedings are civil and not criminal. A juvenile adjudication has a criminal nature and can have serious collateral consequences on a person’s life (inability to obtain or loss of employment, enter the military, obtain public benefits, and potentially the inability to gain custody of children, etc.).

There is Hope for a Fresh Start if You Set Aside a Juvenile Adjudication

Michigan law provides for the opportunity to set aside a juvenile adjudication if all of the juvenile expungement statute requirements are met. The applicant must thoroughly convince the judge that they (1) have been rehabilitated and (2) the set aside is in society’s best interest. Convincing a judge that a petitioner meets this very high standard is daunting. The expert criminal defense attorneys with LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C. have taken years to craft and perfect a highly persuasive and effective system. Over two decades, we have successfully helped countless clients go forward with clean criminal histories because we maximize their chances of having a much-deserved second chance. If you represent yourself or hire a discount lawyer and lose, it will be twice as hard and expensive to try again. Success on a motion to set aside an adjudication after first losing such a motion is difficult and complex. Do not trust your fate to the lowest bidder.

Do You Qualify for a Juvenile Expungement?

To have an adjudication made nonpublic, you must meet certain conditions. We offer a free consultation to determine your eligibility. Some of the questions you will be asked are:

Do you have a federal conviction?
Do you have a criminal conviction in another state?
Do you have a felony adult criminal conviction in Michigan, excluding deferred judgments of guilt?
Were you adjudicated of an offense that would be a felony for which the maximum punishment is life imprisonment if committed by an adult?
Were you adjudicated of a specified juvenile violation as defined in MCL 712A.2d(9)?
Is the adjudication you want to have set aside a felony or misdemeanor traffic offense? A traffic offense is an adjudication for violating the Michigan Vehicle Code or a similar local ordinance?
Are you less than 24 years of age?
Has it been less than one year since the date of the disposition of your adjudication, or if you were detained, has it been less than five years since you were released?

We can help you determine what can be done to expunge a juvenile felony or misdemeanor adjudication. We can talk with you about your prior record, come up with your best options, and determine the path that puts you on the best and fastest path to a clear criminal history.

Not Easy, But We will Fight to Win, and We are Great at What We Do

The State of Michigan Attorney General will review your application and your criminal history report when an application is filed. An Assistant Attorney General will determine whether the State of Michigan will oppose the application. The county prosecuting official will also review your application and criminal history record and will likewise have an opportunity to object. When the government opposes a motion to set aside our client’s juvenile conviction, LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C. will do whatever is necessary to overcome any factual or legal objection to obtain the juvenile expungement.

Setting aside an adjudication (MCL 712A.18e) removes a Michigan juvenile adjudication from the public record maintained by the Michigan State Police and the court. A motion to set aside a juvenile adjudication is sometimes referred to as an expungement. A Michigan juvenile adjudication that has been made nonpublic through a court order setting aside that adjudication is still available to a court, a law enforcement agency, some licensing agencies, and certain other government agencies specified in the law. If you are convicted of a crime after a previous adjudication was made nonpublic, The prosecution can use the nonpublic record to increase your criminal sentence.

Invest in your Future

Hiring a top expungement lawyer may be the best investment that you ever make. The benefits include, but are not limited to, indicating that you have no convictions on a job application, eligibility for student loans, housing assistance eligibility, professional licenses and certificates, and no fear when someone does a public background check. A juvenile expungement eliminates all public records of a felony or misdemeanor adjudication. A defense lawyer with a track record of success knows that one of the keys to success with a juvenile set aside is careful preparation.

Don’t let a criminal conviction be a black cloud hanging over your life. By expunging a felony or misdemeanor offense on your record, you will have the opportunity to have a fresh start and a whole new set of opportunities that were not previously available to you. Hiring a criminal defense attorney is an unfortunate but necessary expense to give yourself the best chance at winning.

Get You The Second Chance You Deserve

The juvenile defense attorneys at LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C. have represented clients throughout Oakland County, Macomb County, Wayne County, Livingston County, Washtenaw County, and other counties throughout Michigan. Don’t let your mistakes as a juvenile affect your future as an adult. Our highly experienced attorneys can assist you through the process of having your juvenile adjudication set aside. If you are interested in getting a juvenile adjudication off your record, we are in a great position to help you. Every case is different. You deserve to speak to a Michigan Criminal Attorney who will take the time to give you a free consultation, determine if you are eligible for relief, and determine the best options available to you.

Call us today at (248) 263-6800 for a free consultation or complete a Request for Assistance Form. We will contact you promptly and find a way to help you.

Setting Aside a Juvenile Adjudication – Expungement Attorney