A special set of skills is required when defending a minor who has committed a crime. An experienced juvenile criminal defense attorney can often resolve the cases without any judicial intervention and help the children to obtain rehabilitation services instead of severe punishment.
The most common juvenile crimes include the following:
The definition of a juvenile in Texas describes a person between 10 and 17 years of age. Individuals within that age range are typically tried as minors in juvenile court jurisdiction. When the child is arrested, the probable cause hearing is held within 48 hours. The detention hearing follows within one to two business days. Additional detention hearings are scheduled every 10 to 15 days to determine if the juvenile should be detained until the date of trial.
The first component of a juvenile trial is referred to as the adjudication phase. Its purpose is to determine if the minor committed the crime and if the charges are true. The second part of the trial consists of the sentencing phase where the judge decides on the punishment. The offender does not have a right to a jury in this phase. Juvenile law is focused more on rehabilitating children rather than imposing severe punishments that may negatively affect young offenders for many years after their crimes. In certain cases, a minor may be certified as an adult and face the same punishments as adults.
Life-altering consequences often follow the crimes committed by a juvenile. These include the following:
When a minor is arrested for a crime, the most crucial step is to contact an experienced juvenile defense lawyer before making any statements to the law enforcement officers. The time is limited, and a seasoned defense attorney will be able to address the circumstances immediately. A juvenile’s age, place of arrest, time of arrest and previous criminal history will be taken into consideration when creating a defense plan. A juvenile defense attorney will use gathered information to determine if police had probable cause for arrest.
If you need an experienced criminal attorney who is board-certified and practices aggressive methods of defense, talk to Brett A. Podolsky at 713-227-0087 and start the road to recovery today.
