Family Court Act, Article 3, Juvenile Delinquency Part 7, § 375.1: Order Upon Termination of a Delinquency Action in Favor of the Respondent

When a minor is accused of committing a criminal act, the case is generally handled by Family Court under New York's juvenile delinquency provisions. In such a case the government, known as the presentment agency, files a delinquency petition in Family Court naming the minor, referred to as the respondent. Once the petition is filed, a fact-finding hearing is held to determine whether or not the minor committed the acts described in the petition that for an adult would amount to a crime. However, in some cases the delinquency action is terminated in favor of the minor before the case proceeds to fact-finding. Under Family Court Act, Article 3, Juvenile Delinquency, Part 7, § 375.1, if an order is issued terminating a delinquency action in favor of the respondent, the court clerk must immediately notify the minor's counsel, the director of the presentment agency, the probation department, the police department, any other appropriate law enforcement agency, that the proceeding has been terminated and that records regarding the case must be sealed. A delinquency proceeding will be considered terminated in favor of the respondent if:

1. The petition is withdrawn;
2. The petition is dismissed or deemed dismissed and the presentment agency has not appealed from such order or the determination of an appeal or appeals from such order has been against the presentment agency;
3. The petition is dismissed without prejudice because the court determined that there was insufficient evidence that a crime was committed;
4. The entire petition has been dismissed because the allegations made in the petition have not been established.
5. The petition is dismissed at the conclusion of the dispositional hearing
6. Prior to the filing of a petition, the probation department has adjusted the case or terminated the case without adjustment;
7. Prior to the filing of a petition the presentment agency chooses not to proceed to petition; or
8. The petition is dismissed pursuant to a motion made in that the respondent did not receive a speedy fact-finding hearing.

1. Securing the attendance of witnesses; securing certain testimony: New York Family Court Act, Article 3, Juvenile Delinquency, Part 7, § 370.1
2. Motion to seal after a finding: New York Family Court Act, Article 3, Juvenile Delinquency, Part 7, § 375.2
3. Expungement of court records: New York Family Court Act, Article 3, Juvenile Delinquency, Part 7, § 375.3

1. Upon termination of a delinquency proceeding against a respondent in favor of such respondent, unless the presentment agency upon written motion with not less than eight days notice to such respondent demonstrates to the satisfaction of the court that the interests of justice require otherwise or the court on its own motion with not less than eight days notice to such respondent determines that the interest of justice require otherwise and states the reason for such determination on the record, the clerk of the court shall immediately notify the law guardian or counsel for the child, the director of the appropriate presentment agency, and the heads of the appropriate probation department and police department or other law enforcement agency, that the proceeding has terminated in favor of the respondent and, unless the court has directed otherwise, that the records of such action or proceeding, other than those destroyed pursuant to § 354.1 of this act, shall be sealed. Upon receipt of such notification all official records and papers, including judgments and orders of the court, but not including public court decisions or opinions or records and briefs on appeal, relating to the arrest, the prosecution and the probation service proceedings, including all duplicates or copies thereof, on file with the court, police agency, probation service and presentment agency shall be sealed and not made available to any person or public or private agency. Such records shall remain sealed during the pendency of any motion made pursuant to this subdivision.
2. For the purposes of subdivision one, a delinquency proceeding shall be considered terminated in favor of a respondent where: (a) the petition is withdrawn; or (b) the petition is dismissed under § 315.1 or 315.2 and the presentment agency has not appealed from such order or the determination of an appeal or appeals from such order has been against the presentment agency; or (c) the petition has been deemed to have been dismissed under § 315.3 and the presentment agency has not appealed from such order or the determination of an appeal or appeals from such order has been against the presentment agency; or (d) the petition is dismissed without prejudice under subdivision four of § 325.3 and the presentment agency has not appealed from such order or the determination of an appeal or appeals from such order has been against the presentment agency; or (e) the entire petition has been dismissed under subdivision two of § 345.1; or (f) the petition is dismissed under subdivision two of § 352.1; or (g) prior to the filing of a petition, the probation department has adjusted the case or terminated the case without adjustment; or (h) prior to the filing of a petition the presentment agency chooses not to proceed to petition; or (i) the petition is dismissed pursuant to a motion made in accordance with subdivision eight, nine or ten of § 332.1.
3. Records sealed pursuant to subdivision one shall be made available to the respondent or his designated agent and the records and papers of a probation service shall be available to any probation service for the purpose of complying with subdivision four of § 308.1.
4. If prior to the filing of a petition the presentment agency elects not to commence a delinquency action it shall serve a certification of such disposition upon the appropriate probation service and the appropriate police department or law enforcement agency, which, upon receipt thereto, shall comply with the provision of subdivision one in the same manner as is required with respect to an order of the court.
5. If the probation service adjusts a delinquency case it shall serve a certification of such disposition upon the appropriate police department or law enforcement agency which, upon receipt thereof, shall comply with the provisions of subdivision one in the same manner as is required thereunder with respect to an order of a court.
6. A respondent in whose favor a delinquency proceeding was terminated prior to the effective date of this § may upon motion apply to the court, upon not less than twenty days notice to the presentment agency, for an order granting him the relief set forth in subdivision one, and such order shall be granted unless the presentment agency demonstrates to the satisfaction of the court that the interests of justice require otherwise. A respondent in whose favor a delinquency action or proceeding was terminated as defined by subdivisions four and five, prior to the effective date of this §, may apply to the appropriate presentment agency or probation service for a certification as described in such subdivisions granting him the relief set forth therein and such certification shall be granted by such presentment agency or probation service.

If your child is a respondent in a juvenile delinquency proceeding, it is important that he or she is represented by experienced counsel. Just because a delinquency petition has been filed against your child does not mean that your child will be determined to be a juvenile delinquent. There are defenses to a charge of delinquency that may result in the petition being dismissed. The staff at Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC has years of experience successfully representing juvenile clients in New York Family Court as well as in criminal court who have been accused of committing misdemeanors and felonies. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We serve those involved in juvenile delinquency matters in the following locations: