Why You Need a Juvenile Crime Attorney

When a minor is charged with a crime, he or she faces a criminal procedure that is different than one for adult offenders. In Los Angeles, the Juvenile Division of the Los Angeles Superior Court handles criminal cases involving minors. Because the procedures are different than adult court, it is important that you retain an attorney who is familiar with and has experience in defending minors through this system. In the juvenile system, cases are adjudicated by a judge; no juries exist. A prosecutor and a defense attorney will represent each side with the judge deciding if the evidence supports beyond a reasonable doubt the fact that the minor committed the offense.

Once a determination has been made by the judge, a sentence or “disposition” is made. These can range in severity from being confined to what was formerly called the California Youth Authority, a detention facility for minors (now called Division of Juvenile Justice) to being placed on informal probation. On informal probation, the minor must complete the probation program successfully whereupon the charges against him are dismissed. In some cases, a minor may be made a ward of the court. Where it is determined to be in the best interests of the juvenile, he or she may be placed in foster care, in a group home, or in a probation camp.

Los Angeles Juvenile Crime Lawyer

By contacting and consulting with a Los Angeles juvenile crime attorney at the law firm of Okabe & Haushalter as soon as you learn that your child has been arrested, you can get the education and legal advice you need concerning the juvenile justice process. You will also be giving your child the best possible chances of avoiding a juvenile conviction and staying out of a detention facility. The legal team at the firm has handled countless juvenile cases, knows the ins and outs of the juvenile system, and strives to keep your child in your custody with the least disruption and risk of consequences that may affect his or her life in the future.

Contact a Los Angeles juvenile crime attorney at the firm for competent legal representation today.