What is the "Automatic Restriction of Access to Records System?"

Texas has a system in place that restricts the access to juvenile records once a person turns 17 years of age. This is in addition to your opportunity to have your records sealed or destroyed under other provisions in the Texas Family Code. Under automatic restriction of access, the records are not destroyed or sealed; they still exist but can only be accessed by federal or state criminal justice agencies for a criminal justice purpose, such as investigation of a crime or screening applicants for employment with the criminal justice agency. For anyone else who asks about the records, including employers, schools, and licensing bodies, the entity in possession of the records is required to respond, “No records exist for that person.” Additionally, once your records have been restricted, you are allowed to “legally deny” your history and say you were never arrested, prosecuted, or adjudicated for an offense.