Juvenile Cases

If your child is being accused of committing a crime, it is extremely important that you contact an attorney as soon as possible.

For many parents, when hearing what their child is accused of doing, they think a punishment will teach their child a lesson. They might feel it would be appropriate to simply make the child face the music. While their heart might be in the right place, parents must also take into consideration all of the other consequences stemming from a criminal charge.

A criminal case can impact your child for years to come. It could prevent him or her from getting into the college of choice, getting a job, and even finding a place to live. A youthful mistake could haunt your child for the rest of his or her life.

If your child is accused of a crime, it may be handled by the government in a variety of different ways. Depending on the accused crime, the case may be filed in a standard state district or superior court, or in a local municipal court. In other instances, the case could be filed in a juvenile court. Juvenile Court is different than the “adult” court. The Juvenile court’s goals are more closely related to treatment and rehabilitation, as opposed to punitive in nature. On some occasions, community diversion programs are available to youths as well. The child and parent(s) are given the opportunity to sit and speak before a community panel about the accusations and the level of punishment the child should receive.

Whether your child is going to be charged as an adult, as a juvenile, or is facing a community panel, it is important to have an attorney guide you and your child through the process. Give our office a call if you would like to discuss your child’s case with an experienced Washington criminal defense lawyer.