JUVENILE MATTERS
The Law Firm provides representation to juveniles, defined by our State Law, as any individual who has not yet reached the age of 18, in all matters, both criminal, quasi criminal and traffic related matters. All matters involving juvenile representation are treated with the same sense of urgency and importance as other matters for which the firm is engaged. There are many inaccurate, preconceived notions about juvenile representation and the charges that may be brought against juveniles. One of the most common, but incorrect notion, is that a juvenile’s criminal or motor vehicle record becomes irrelevant and automatically expunged at the moment the juvenile attains the age of 18. Unfortunately, that perception is incorrect. To be sure, charges that result in a criminal conviction against a juvenile do not automatically disappear when the child reaches the age of majority.
Under certain circumstances, parents, or legal custodians of the juvenile can be held accountable for the actions of the child. In addition to parents or legal guardians being held accountable for the actions of their children, there are many financial considerations that parents and legal guardians may face. A juvenile, residing with his parents or legal guardian, in the same household, or even in a different household, but still under the care and control of the parent, or legal guardian, can, upon a conviction of a motor vehicle violation, significantly effect the amount of motor vehicle insurance premium that parents or legal guardians are required to pay. Damages resulting from injuries from a motor vehicle accident can become the responsibility of the parent or legal guardian.
There are many diversionary programs available to juveniles, particularly, first time offenders. These diversionary programs afford the juvenile an opportunity to avoid formal legal consequences in favor of a more informal program of rehabilitation. With the increasingly popular use of cell phone, portable media (photographic and video equipment) social web sites, e-mail and texting, juveniles are, more than ever, facing a multitude of different charges all of which are unique unto themselves and can lead to significant consequences.