Q: Possession of drug paraphernalia. I’m 16 but will be 17 when I go to court. Will I be counted as a minor or adult? In TX
I got pulled over and had a grinder in my car. Got the citation for drug paraphernalia and scheduled my court day. Right now I am 16 but I will be 17 when I go to court. Will I be counted as a minor or adult ? Does it matter? Can I get this charge off my record?
A:
They'll go by your age at the time of the offense for a misdemeanor. If it had been a felony there is a chance it would transferred into adult court.
If the case is dismissed you will be eligible for to file for an expunction that will actually destroy the records. If you are adjudicated delinquent* there is a possibility that your records could still be sealed but you should consult an attorney that focuses on juvenile law to find out if you would be eligible. Having the records sealed isn't as good as having them destroyed, but it is better than nothing.
* Adjudicated delinquent is to juvenile justice as Guilty is to adult criminal justice.
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