Questioned by police in Utah: your parent's place in the room, juvenile court, and clearing a record

Before questioning a child in custody, an officer must tell you your rights. The Utah law spells out the words: you have the right to remain silent, to stop talking at any time, to have a parent or guardian with you, and to a lawyer, free if you want one.

Your parent or guardian must be present when you waive (give up) your rights, and must give permission for the questioning. They can attend in person or by video, with an interpreter if anyone does not speak English. If your parent is the person who hurt you or is part of the case, you can have a 'friendly adult' instead, meaning a trusted adult who is on your side.

There are exceptions. The parent rule does not apply if you are emancipated, if you lied that you were 18, or if police tried and could not reach a parent within one hour. If you are held in a detention center, you must get a real chance to talk with your lawyer first, and the lawyer must be there.

Utah's juvenile court handles offenses committed by a child under 18. It can keep the case until the person turns 21. It also hears some misdemeanors by 18-year-olds who were still enrolled in high school and acted on school property.

Some cases move to adult court. The Utah Courts say this can happen when a minor is 14 or older and charged with a serious felony, under Utah Code 80-6-503.

The U.S. Supreme Court set the federal floor in In re Gault (1967): a young person in a delinquency case has the right to notice of the charges, to a lawyer, and to stay silent.

A juvenile record does not disappear when you turn 18. Some Utah juvenile records are expunged (sealed and treated as if they did not happen) automatically if they meet the criteria in Utah Code 80-6-1004.5.

Otherwise you can ask the court. To expunge an adjudication (a finding by the juvenile judge that you committed the offense), at least one year must pass after the court's jurisdiction ends, all fines, fees, and restitution must be paid, and you must have no adult criminal record within that year. The Utah Courts post the forms on their Expunging Juvenile Records page.