Juvenile Offenses

Within the state, when a juvenile criminal offense is serious enough to warrant a formal petition, the child is formally charged before a juvenile court judge or a referee; consequently, it is imperative that your child be represented by an experienced defense attorney,

The Process

• After a formal petition is filed, the juvenile court will decide whether to take jurisdiction of the case or schedule a “fitness hearing” in which the prosecutor argues that the facts and circumstances warrant trying your child as an adult. The court will make this decision based on the seriousness of the crime and your child’s personal characteristics.
• I will argue strenuously that the case should be kept in juvenile court. If the case is kept in juvenile court, your child may enter into a plea agreement by pleading guilty in exchange for reduced charges.
• If no plea agreement is offered or reached, the case may be scheduled for “adjudication” (a juvenile trial). If the matter proceeds to adjudication, the juvenile judge may “sustain the petition” (convict your child of the offense).
• After conviction, the juvenile judge will determine the “disposition” (the equivalent of sentencing in adult court). A disposition in juvenile court might include anything from:
  • periodic monitoring by the court;
  • placement in a juvenile group home; to
  • placement in the juvenile division of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).