San Leandro Juvenile Defense Lawyer

While criminal charges may be intimidating to anyone facing them, they can be overwhelming for a defendant who is a juvenile. While it is crucial to ensure that every defendant’s rights are protected and asserted throughout the criminal defense process, advocating effectively for a juvenile’s rights requires a thorough and dedicated approach to criminal defense.

If you or someone that you love is facing juvenile criminal charges, a San Leandro juvenile defense lawyer could play an essential role in navigating the legal processes to come. As an experienced defense attorney could explain, juvenile crimes may include forgery, assault, theft, graffiti, vandalism, and many other offenses, they could even include more serious crimes like aggravated assault or murder, so it may be critical that you understand exactly what you are facing and take action accordingly. En Español.

The Juvenile Justice System

The juvenile justice system in California is far different from its adult counterpart. The goal of the juvenile justice system is to prevent juvenile delinquency and to provide opportunities for juveniles facing criminal charges to rise above those charges. As such, there are often alternative sentencing options available for some juvenile defendants, which may include community service or enrollment in a diversion program to help prevent recurring criminal acts.

It should be noted that in some circumstances, juveniles may be tried as an adult. These instances usually involve serious crimes, and a conviction, when tried as an adult, will likely carry severe consequences similar to what an actual adult facing the same charges would face.

California Welfare & Institutions Code §707(b) lists specific crimes a minor may be tried as an adult for if rehabilitation through the juvenile court system is deemed inappropriate. An experienced San Leandro juvenile defense attorney could help you understand more about the legal process you are facing and possible outcomes that could apply to you depending on the nature of your case.

Sealing and Expungement

Having a record sealed or expunged is often part of the media’s take on juvenile crime. Unlike many inaccuracies in the media’s portrayal of the legal system, having a record sealed or expunged could actually be a real possibility for certain youth offenders.

Typically, a court will seal a juvenile’s record once the individual defendant has reached a certain age, usually 18. That means that while the record still exists, it is not accessible to members of the general public without a court order. Furthermore, you may not be required to report offenses on your juvenile record for employment or educational purposes.

Having a record expunged generally involves making a formal request to a court to do so, a process with which a juvenile defense lawyer in San Leandro could provide assistance. Depending on the circumstances of the conviction in question, the offenses on your juvenile record would be dismissed if a court grants you an expungement.

Facing Charges with Help from a San Leandro Juvenile Defense Attorney

Juvenile criminal convictions could have a lasting impact on a child’s life, but the way those charges are approached and handled might make a big difference in just what those consequences entail. Working with a criminal defense attorney at the early stages of a case may be crucial to ensuring you can develop a thorough defense to the charges you are facing.

If you or someone you love are facing juvenile criminal charges, there is help available to you. Call today to learn more about how a dedicated San Leandro juvenile defense lawyer could work with you to explore the options that might be available to you in your defense.