Juvenile Criminal Court

Juvenile court is not really a criminal court and yet it is. Let’s take a look at it.

As an example, let’s say that your minor son or daughter is arrested for an alleged criminal offense and charges are pending in Juvenile Court. How are Juvenile and Adult courts different? How will your son or daughter be treated?

            In adult criminal court the proceedings are started by the filing of a             complaint.
            In juvenile court proceedings are started by the filing of a Petition.

            In adult court the defendant enters a plea of not guilty to the complaint.
            In juvenile court the juvenile denies the Petition.

            In adult court the defendant is entitled to a jury trial.
            In juvenile court the juvenile is only entitled to a court trial, by a judge.

Aside from the above, the proceedings are relatively similar except for the fact that the purpose of a juvenile court is to get the juvenile back on the straight and narrow. The court and DA work with the probation department. Because of that the probation officer is the person who is usually the first person to get to know the situation, the people involved and can recommend what he or she feels is best for the minor including informal probation.

In that vein, many times a juvenile is entitled to what is called “informal probation” that usually lasts between 6 months to 1 year. How it works is that your son or daughter is placed on probation by the court for a specified time. The court may instruct your son or daughter to do something as a term of probation, for example, attend counseling sessions, get better grades at school, write a letter to someone, etc. If all goes well and your son or daughter does not violate any terms of probation the case is dismissed as if never filed. The purpose, again, is to intervene in the child’s life to attempt to put him or her back on track, if you will.

In other cases, a juvenile can admit the allegations contained in the Petition or can go to trial before the judge. After the trial, the judge can either find the allegations, or charges, to be true or not true and dismiss the case. If found true or the minor admits the charges there is a sentencing hearing just like in adult court where the minor is sentenced. That could include a maximum sentence to juvenile hall or could contain a variety of other types of sentences.

In the most serious cases, the juvenile can be tried in adult court, as an adult, depending on his or her age. This, of course needs to be avoided as the penalties are much more severe in adult criminal court than in juvenile court. Juvenile law can be complex and confusing. Because of that, it is vital to hire an experienced criminal defense attorney who practices in juvenile court when your son or daughter is being charged with any crime.

School Crimes

Many times a child is accused of some conduct that may be described as criminal occurring at his or her school. Obviously you are not there to protect your child so what happens is that he or she is brought into the school office and questioned. Many times a police officer is called and questions your child without you being present or in any way able to protect him or her. Therefore, it is vital to tell your children that if they are ever accused of wrongdoing at school to not talk about it until you have been notified and are able to get to the school. Why? Because many times the questioning techniques used on minors have a way of intimidating them to the point of them saying things that are not true under the mistaken belief that if they just say something they can go home, if they just tell the authorities, whoever they may be, what they want to hear they can go home, to the safety of their home and parents! If your son or daughter is detained at school or by the police for questioning, contact me immediately! Gregory B. Pike toll free at 1-888-387-1101 or by email at gregorypike@gmail.com.

Under Investigation 

It is equally as important to when your son or daughter is being investigated relating to accusations of criminal conduct that there be an experienced criminal defense attorney who practices in juvenile court present. You need someone experienced in juvenile law like Gregory B. Pike to aggressively protect your son or daughter’s rights from the start before any charges are filed. This can be the most crucial stage of any juvenile case.

Remember, anyone can accuse your son or daughter of a criminal act and because of that they will be placed in a position to defend themselves, many times without the help of a parent being present. Whatever you do, instruct your children to resist the temptation to talk! Always have an experienced criminal defense attorney who practices in juvenile court present for any questioning.

Contact Me

 Because of the complexity of this are of law and the severity of the punishments it is imperative that you immediately contact me. I am an experienced criminal defense attorney that practices in juvenile court. I know what must be done to protect the rights of your children. Contact Gregory B. Pike toll free at 1-888-387-1101 or by email at gregorypike@gmail.com.