Juvenile Defense
Juveniles, or minors, can be charged with crimes just as adults can. Juveniles are not convicted of crimes, rather they are adjudicated. This means that, if adjudicated, that the minor would have a juvenile record, but not a criminal record. When a juvenile is charged with a crime it is typically called a law violation or status offense. A juvenile case can have a significant impact on a minor child. Stephanie Flynn Law represents minors of all ages in juvenile and adult court when charged with crimes.
Transfer to Juvenile Court
Sometimes juveniles are charged with crimes in adult court, meaning county or district court, rather than in juvenile court. If a minor is charged with a crime in adult court, and the crime was alleged to have been committed when the juvenile was younger than 18 years, the juvenile has the right to seek to have the mater transferred to juvenile court. There are many factors for a court to consider when determining whether to transfer a matter to juvenile court. If you need help transferring a matter to juvenile court, it is best to contact a juvenile defense attorney to help you with this process.
Collateral Consequences of a Juvenile Adjudication
Juvenile adjudications can have collateral consequences just as adult criminal convictions can. Therefore, it is important for juveniles to be represented by an experienced juvenile defense attorney. Some of the potential collateral consequences of a Juvenile Adjudication are as follows:
A juvenile record may have to be reported on college or work applications
A juvenile record may limit the ability to obtain public housing
A juvenile record may make it difficult to join the military
A juvenile record could impact immigration status
A juvenile record could result in the juvenile being placed on the child abuse and neglect registry if the law violation was one of physical or sexual abuse of a child
A juvenile record may affect your ability to carry a firearm
A juvenile record may be considered for disposition or sentencing purposes if there are later adjudications or criminal convictions of crimes
If you have specific questions about collateral consequences of a juvenile adjudication, contact the juvenile defense attorneys at Stephanie Flynn Law to discuss your unique circumstances.
Sealing a Juvenile Record
If a juvenile is placed on probation and successfully completes probation, the juveniles record will automatically be sealed. This means that very few people will have access to the sealed records. Typically only courts and law enforcement agencies will be able to see the sealed records. If a juvenile’s record is not automatically sealed, there are still ways in which to have it sealed at a later date. A juvenile defense attorney can help you with this process.
If you or your child is facing a juvenile charge, contact juvenile defense attorneys at Stephanie Flynn Law, or call (402) 325-8469 for help.