CRIMES BY MINORS – JUVENILE DELINQUENCY ASSAULT – DUI – VANDALISM – JUVENILE COURT PROCESS

The experience of having a child arrested and/or charged with a juvenile criminal offense is often incredibly traumatic for the entire family. Both parent and child is left to wonder what is going to happen and how will this impact the future? The concern is well founded. This is because juvenile crimes are serious matters that can negatively impact your child’s future should they be convicted. A juvenile criminal conviction can affect your child’s freedom, ability to gain employment, loss of driving privileges or ability to obtain a driver’s license.

What is a Juvenile Crime?

A juvenile crime is any criminal offense committed before the child turns 18 years old. In juvenile court a child is referred to as a “minor.”Juvenile criminal offenses come in many forms such as:

• DUI (driving under the influence)
• Drug possession
• Drug sales
• Sexual assault
• Assault
• Aggravated assault
• Battery
• Petty theft and other theft crimes
• Auto theft
• Gang related crimes
• Vandalism
• Possession of a deadly weapon
• Robbery
• Murder

The Juvenile Court Process

The juvenile criminal legal process differs substantially from the adult criminal process. California juvenile courts have their own set of rules and procedures:

• Juveniles are referred to as “minors” in court
• Juveniles do not commit “crimes”; they commit “delinquent acts” essentially the same types of crimes that adults commit.
• Juveniles are charged by way of a “petition” rather than a “criminal complaint”, which is the charging document for adults.
• Juveniles do not have a right to a jury trial. All juvenile criminal matters are heard by the judge.
• Juveniles do not have a right to bail.

Juvenile crimes can be charged as either misdemeanors or felonies depending on the seriousness of the offense. A juvenile conviction for a misdemeanor can result in detention in a juvenile facility, probation, fines, community service, loss of license or ability to get a license. A juvenile felony conviction is a lot more serious and can result in punishment in the form of detention in the California Youth Authority (the juvenile equivalent of state prison for adults), detention in a county juvenile facility, fines and hard labor. Convictions for serious or violent felonies can be used against a minor in the pursuant to California’s Three Strikes Law should they commit another offense in the future.

Early Intervention In Juvenile Criminal Cases

If your son or daughter is arrested for a juvenile crime, it is extremely important to immediately hire an experienced California juvenile criminal defense lawyer to help your child. A qualified juvenile defense attorney can often achieve great results if he/she are involved at the initial stages. They may be able to get your child released from custody, persuade the district attorney not to file charges or not to charge the minor as an adult, get the charges dismissed or reduced to a much less serious offense or substantially minimize the consequences.

Trying a Minor as an Adult

In situations where a minor is charged with committing a serious or violent crime, he/she can be prosecuted as an adult. This decision will ultimately depend on a number of factors including:

• The seriousness of the offense
• The criminal sophistication involved in committing the offense
• The criminal history of the minor
• The likelihood that the minor can be rehabilitated

If your child is accused of committing a serious or violent crime it is important to immediately hire an experienced juvenile criminal defense attorney make every effort to ensure that your child is charged as a juvenile, if possible.

If your child has been charged or accused of committing a juvenile crime, it is important to hire a lawyer with the experience to help you achieve the result your child deserves. The Law Offices of Gabriel Dorman have successfully defended numerous juvenile clients charged with theft and other crimes in Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, San Bernardino and Riverside counties. The Law Offices of Gabriel Dorman are committed to defending your child’s legal rights and providing honest and competent representation with a focus on achieving the best result for your child.