786.5. (Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 811, Sec. 2.5.)

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, the probation department shall seal the citation, arrest, and other records in its custody relating to a juvenile’s arrest and referral and participation in a diversion or supervision program under both of the following circumstances:

(1) Upon satisfactory completion of a program of diversion or supervision to which a juvenile is referred by the probation officer in lieu of the filing of a petition to adjudge the juvenile a ward of the juvenile court, including a program of informal supervision pursuant to Section 654.

(2) Upon satisfactory completion of a program of diversion or supervision to which a juvenile is referred by the prosecutor in lieu of the filing of a petition to adjudge the juvenile a ward of the juvenile court, including a program of informal supervision pursuant to Section 654.

(b) The probation department shall notify the citing or arresting law enforcement agency and the Department of Justice to seal the citation or arrest records described in subdivisions (a) and (g), and the citing or arresting law enforcement agency and the Department of Justice shall seal the records in their custody relating to the arrest no later than 60 days from the date of notification by the probation department. Upon sealing, the citing or arresting law enforcement agency and the Department of Justice shall notify the probation department that the records have been sealed. Within 30 days from receipt of notification by the citing or arresting law enforcement agency and the Department of Justice that the records have been sealed pursuant to this section, the probation department shall notify the minor in writing that their record has been sealed pursuant to this section. If records have not been sealed pursuant to this section, the written notice from the probation department shall inform the minor of their ability to petition the court directly to seal their citation, arrest, and other related records.

(c) Upon sealing of the records pursuant to this section, the arrest or offense giving rise to any of the circumstances specified in subdivision (a) shall be deemed not to have occurred and the individual may respond accordingly to any inquiry, application, or process in which disclosure of this information is requested or sought.

(d) (1) For the records relating to the circumstances described in subdivision (a), the probation department shall issue notice as follows:

(A) The probation department shall notify a public or private agency operating a diversion program to which the juvenile has been referred under these circumstances to seal records in the program operator’s custody relating to the arrest or referral and the participation of the juvenile in the diversion or supervision program, and the operator of the program shall seal the records in its custody relating to the juvenile’s arrest or referral and participation in the program no later than 60 days from the date of notification by the probation department. Upon sealing, the public or private agency operating a diversion program shall notify the probation department that the records have been sealed.

(B) The probation department shall notify the participant in the supervision or diversion program in writing that their record has been sealed pursuant to the provisions of this section based on their satisfactory completion of the program. If the record is not sealed, the probation department shall notify the participant in writing of the reason or reasons for not sealing the record.

(2) An individual who receives notice from the probation department that the individual has not satisfactorily completed the diversion program and that the record has not been sealed pursuant to this section may petition the juvenile court for review of the decision in a hearing in which the program participant may seek to demonstrate, and the court may determine, that the individual has met the satisfactory completion requirement and is eligible for the sealing of the record by the probation department, the arresting law enforcement agency, and the program operator under the provisions of this section.

(f) (1) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the probation department of a county responsible for the supervision of a person may access a record sealed by a probation department pursuant to this section for the sole purpose of complying with subdivision (e) of Section 654.3. The information contained in the sealed record and accessed by the probation department under this paragraph shall in all other respects remain confidential and shall not be disseminated to any other person or agency. Access to, or inspection of, a sealed record authorized by this paragraph shall not be deemed an unsealing of the record and shall not require notice to any other agency.

(2) (A) Any record, that has been sealed pursuant to this section may be accessed, inspected, or utilized by the prosecuting attorney in order to meet a statutory or constitutional obligation to disclose favorable or exculpatory evidence to a defendant in a criminal case in which the prosecuting attorney has reason to believe that access to the record is necessary to meet the disclosure obligation.

(B) (i) A prosecuting attorney shall not use information contained in a record sealed pursuant to this section for any purpose other than those provided in subparagraph (A).

(ii) Once the case referenced in subparagraph (A) has been closed and is no longer subject to review on appeal, the prosecuting attorney shall destroy any records obtained pursuant to this subparagraph.

(g) The probation department, the Department of Justice, and law enforcement agencies shall seal the citation, arrest, and other records in their custody relating to a juvenile’s citation, arrest, and detention if the prosecutor has declined to initiate proceedings within the applicable statute of limitations, and notified the probation department of that decision. Upon notification of the prosecutor’s decision, the probation department shall seal the citation, arrest, and other records in its custody and proceed pursuant to subdivision (b). This subdivision shall not affect any other applicable remedies for sealing of juvenile case files.

(h) If the probation department deems it unnecessary to refer the juvenile to a program of diversion or supervision, or elects to counsel the juvenile and take no further action, the probation department shall seal the citation, arrest, and other records in its custody and proceed pursuant to subdivision (b). In any case that was referred to the prosecuting attorney and the prosecuting attorney notifies the probation officer that it has declined to file a petition, the probation department shall seal the arrest and other records in its custody relating to the juvenile’s arrest and proceed according to subdivision (b).