The juvenile court record, which includes all records and papers, any minute book entries, dockets and judgment dockets, shall be destroyed by order of the court as follows: when the person who is the subject of the record reaches the age of 28 years, if the person was alleged or adjudged to be a person described by Section 300, when the person who is the subject of the record reaches the age of 21 years, if the person was alleged or adjudged to be a person described by Section 601, or when the person reaches the age of 38 years if the person was alleged or adjudged to be a person described by Section 602, unless for good cause the court determines that the juvenile record shall be retained, or unless the juvenile court record is released to the person who is the subject of the record pursuant to this section. However, a juvenile court record which is not permitted to be sealed pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 781 shall not be destroyed pursuant to this section.
Any person who is the subject of a juvenile court record may by written notice request the juvenile court to release the court record to his or her custody. Wherever possible, the written notice shall include the person's full name, the person's date of birth, and the juvenile court case number. Any juvenile court receiving the written notice shall release the court record to the person who is the subject of the record five years after the jurisdiction of the juvenile court over the person has terminated, if the person was alleged or adjudged to be a person described by Section 300, or when the person reaches the age of 21 years, if the person was alleged or adjudged to be a person described by Section 601, unless for good cause the court determines that the record shall be retained. Exhibits shall be destroyed as provided under Section 1417 of the Penal Code. For the purpose of this section "destroy" means destroy or dispose of for the purpose of destruction. The proceedings in any case in which the juvenile court record is destroyed or released to the person who is the subject of the record pursuant to this section shall be deemed never to have occurred, and the person may reply accordingly to any inquiry about the events in the case.
Ca. Welf. and Inst. Code § 826