Yakima County Superior Court, Washington Sealing & Redaction Procedures

CRITICAL

The court must grant a request to seal deferred-disposition records if the juvenile turned 18 before July 26, 2009 and has no pending charges.

If a juvenile has reached his or her 18th birthday before July 26, 2009 and does not have any charges pending, his or her request that the court issue an order sealing the records of the deferred disposition is to be granted.

CRITICAL

A court may order a record sealed after a conviction is vacated or upon finding that compelling privacy or safety concerns outweigh the public interest in access.

Under General Rule 15, sealing a court record may be ordered when a conviction has been vacated or when the court finds that compelling privacy or safety concerns outweigh the public interest in access to the record.

CRITICAL

A request to modify or seal a court record must be directed to the court holding that record.

A request to modify, seal, or destroy a court record must be directed to the court in which that record is filed.

CRITICAL

A motion to seal records for the listed offenses and diversions may not be granted unless the stated two-year community period and all other listed conditions are satisfied.

The court is not to grant a motion to seal records for class B, class C, gross misdemeanor, and misdemeanor offenses and diversions unless: • Since the date of last release from confinement, including full-time residential treatment, entry of disposition, or completion of the diversion agreement, the person has spent two consecutive years in the community without being convicted of any offense or crime; • No proceeding seeking conviction for a juvenile or criminal offense is pending; • No proceeding seeking formation of a diversion agreement is pending; • The person has not been convicted of a sex offense; and • Full restitution has been paid.

CRITICAL

Medical and other health information must be filed under seal and may not be accessed by others without a court order.

If you provide medical and other health information, it must be filed under seal so that only you and the court can read it. No one else can have access to your information unless they get a court order that allows access.

CRITICAL

Deferred-disposition records must be sealed no later than 30 days after the juvenile’s 18th birthday if no charges are pending then.

Records of deferred disposition cases are to be sealed no later than 30 days after the juvenile’s 18th birthday, provided that the juvenile does not have any charges pending at that time.

CRITICAL

A person who is the subject of the specified juvenile information or diversion complaint may move to seal the juvenile court file and related records.

A person who is the subject of an information filed under RCW 13.40.100 or a complaint filed with the prosecutor and referred for diversion under RCW 13.40.070 may file a motion to have the court order the sealing of the juvenile court file and other records relating to his or her case.

CRITICAL

Deferred-disposition records must be sealed within 30 days after the juvenile turns 18 if no charges are pending then.

Records of deferred disposition cases are to be sealed no later than 30 days after the juvenile’s 18th birthday, provided that the juvenile does not have any charges pending at that time.

CRITICAL

A court record may be sealed after a conviction is vacated or when compelling privacy or safety concerns outweigh the public interest in access.

Under General Rule 15, sealing a court record may be ordered when a conviction has been vacated or when the court finds that compelling privacy or safety concerns outweigh the public interest in access to the record.

CRITICAL

A motion to seal records for a qualifying class A offense may not be granted unless the listed five-year, pending-proceeding, sex-offense, and restitution conditions are satisfied.

The court is not to grant a motion to seal records for class A offenses filed on or after July 1, 1997 unless: • Since the last date of release from confinement, including full-time residential treatment, or entry of disposition, the person has spent five consecutive years in the community without committing an offense or crime resulting in an adjudication or conviction; • No proceeding seeking conviction for a juvenile or criminal offense is pending against the person; • No proceeding seeking formation of a diversion agreement is pending; • The person has not been convicted of a sex offense; and • Full restitution has been paid.

CRITICAL

Identifying information, including photographs and fingerprints, is not subject to sealing or destruction.

Identifying information, however, is not subject to sealing or destruction. Identifying information includes photographs, fingerprints, and any other data that identifies a person by name, birth date, address, or physical characteristics.

CRITICAL

A motion to seal records for the listed offenses and diversions may not be granted unless the listed two-year, pending-proceeding, sex-offense, and restitution conditions are satisfied.

The court is not to grant a motion to seal records for class B, class C, gross misdemeanor, and misdemeanor offenses and diversions unless: • Since the date of last release from confinement, including full-time residential treatment, entry of disposition, or completion of the diversion agreement, the person has spent two consecutive years in the community without being convicted of any offense or crime; • No proceeding seeking conviction for a juvenile or criminal offense is pending; • No proceeding seeking formation of a diversion agreement is pending; • The person has not been convicted of a sex offense; and • Full restitution has been paid.

CRITICAL

A person who is the subject of the specified juvenile information or diversion complaint may move to seal the juvenile court file and related records.

A person who is the subject of an information filed under RCW 13.40.100 or a complaint filed with the prosecutor and referred for diversion under RCW 13.40.070 may file a motion to have the court order the sealing of the juvenile court file and other records relating to his or her case.

CRITICAL

A motion to seal records for a covered class A offense may not be granted unless the stated five-year community period and all other listed conditions are satisfied.

The court is not to grant a motion to seal records for class A offenses filed on or after July 1, 1997 unless: • Since the last date of release from confinement, including full-time residential treatment, or entry of disposition, the person has spent five consecutive years in the community without committing an offense or crime resulting in an adjudication or conviction; • No proceeding seeking conviction for a juvenile or criminal offense is pending against the person; • No proceeding seeking formation of a diversion agreement is pending; • The person has not been convicted of a sex offense; and • Full restitution has been paid.

WARNING

The court determines whether to seal the written decision.

Sealing Decision. The court will determine whether or not to seal the written decision.

WARNING

Sealing a juvenile record removes references to the arrest and disposition from State Patrol records, but identifying information such as photographs, fingerprints, and identifying personal data is not subject to sealing or destruction.

A court order to seal a juvenile record results in the removal of references to his or her arrest and disposition from the records maintained by the State Patrol. Identifying information, however, is not subject to sealing or destruction. Identifying information includes photographs, fingerprints, and any other data that identifies a person by name, birth date, address, or physical characteristics.