Simon Law Group

An extensive record as a juvenile delinquent does not necessarily bar expungement of an adult criminal conviction, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled Thursday.The court was unanimous in finding that the goals of the Legislature continue to favor expungement for nonviolent, one-time offenders.“Because [the applicant] meets the statutory requirements for expungement and the state has identified no grounds to deny him relief, he is entitled to an order expunging his 1996 conviction for receipt of stolen property,” Chief Justice Stuart Rabner wrote.The applicant’s attorney, Red Bank solo Randolph Wolf, says the ruling, In the Matter of the Expungement Application of D.J.B., establishes needed uniformity in New Jersey.“There has been a divergence of opinion among prosecutor’s office and trial judges” as to whether expungement applicants with juvenile records were entitled to have an adult conviction taken off the books, says Wolf.“This will open up expungement for a lot of people who couldn’t previously get one. A ruling otherwise wouldn’t make any sense because a juvenile violation is not a crime.”D.J.B., now a 36-year-old married father of three who works in the insurance industry, was adjudicated delinquent at age 16 for what would equate to a third-degree burglary conviction and was put on probation for a year. At 17, he was adjudicated delinquent for another burglary and for marijuana possession. He was jailed for a year and got another year of probation.As an adult, at age 18, he pleaded guilty to a charge of fourth-degree burglary and was sentenced to three years of probation and was ordered to perform community service. In 1999, he pleaded guilty to two disorderly contempt offenses and was put on probation for a year.