An expungement can be denied in a juvenile case in Pennsylvania. A person would have to consider their eligibility as to whether they're eligible in the first place to seek an expungement for a juvenile record. Was the person adjudicated delinquent for the original offense or did it result in a deferred adjudication? Is the person over 18, have more than five years pass with the person remaining arrest and prosecution free?
Whenever a person is eligible for juvenile expungement, and there are certain limited offenses that would be altogether prohibited, but if a person is otherwise eligible, the district attorney's office and potentially others, but fundamentally it would be the district attorney's office, they can object to the request for the expungement.
The likelihood of them doing so will depend on the particular case and the particular facts at hand. The short answer is yes, a juvenile expungement can be denied. Ultimately, if the district attorney's office objected, it would be up to the judge where a contested hearing would have to take place and the judge would make the final determination in that regard and so having an experienced Pennsylvania criminal defense attorney will be able to help you best understand and navigate the process so that if you're seeking a juvenile expungement, you can maximize the likelihood of success.
