Juvenile court in Orange County is vastly different from adult criminal courts. Minors lose the biggest tool available to criminal defendants, the jury trial. A minor gets to have a trial, but it is before a judge. The most important factors in dealing with juvenile courts in Orange County are knowing the judges and how they operate and knowing what programs are available to minors and their families.
The juvenile justice system is highly specialized and requires knowledge of the specific levels of probation and the consequences for each. Many children are placed on formal supervised probation. This occurs when the court makes a child a 602, or a ward of the court. The probation officer will keep a close eye on the child and the child may end up back in custody for any missteps on probation. Many parents think the court will help them with their problem child, but what they don't realize, and quickly find out, is how onerous this probation is, and that the probation officer is rarely working with them.
Fighting for Your Child's Freedom
Minors charged with offenses are not entitled to bail. The court can hold them at Juvenile Hall, release them on home supervision or release them to the supervision of their parents. Whether or not the minor gets released is in large part determined by the presentation that his or her attorney can make to the court regarding the safety of the minor and the supervision of the minor. We understand what it takes to get the minors back on track and back home.
Juvenile Convictions Can Have Serious Consequences
Just because an accused is in juvenile court, doesn't mean that his record will never follow him. With limited exceptions, a person who is 16 years old or older, who is convicted of a strike offense, will have that strike for the rest of his or her life.
Just because a minor turns 18 doesn't necessarily mean freedom from the juvenile court. The Court can keep an individual on probation until his 21st birthday. This can be extended even further if the individual is sent to the Department of Juvenile Justice, what was once called the California Youth Authority. It is also possible for a child convicted of a sex offense to have to register as a sex offender. Juvenile Court does not always mean minor consequences.
Why Choose John D. Barnett
We work closely with the Court to find some sort of alternative to incarceration and find a creative solution to the problem your family is facing. Contact Law Office of John D. Barnett today for a free consultation.