New York Court of Appeals
In the Matter of Dorothy D. (Anonymous), New York City Probation Department
January 10, 198049 N.Y.2d 212
Summary
The New York Court of Appeals held that the Family Court abused its discretion by refusing to expunge the records of a baseless juvenile delinquency petition filed against a child. The Court affirmed the Appellate Division's order, emphasizing the Family Court's inherent power to control its own records and to expunge them when no legitimate purpose exists.