Charlotte NC Juvenile Criminal Offenses Lawyer
Have you or someone you love been accused of a juvenile offense?
Maybe you are a child who has been accused of shoplifting or trespass. Perhaps you are an adult who is upset to discover that your child has been charged with underage drinking or drug possession. If you or someone you care about faces a juvenile charge, you need to understand the process. An attorney at The Hatcher Law Office, PLLC will guide you through the process, step by step. Contact The Hatcher Law Office, PLLC for more details.
Juvenile Cases
The lawyers at The Hatcher Law Office, PLLC represent juveniles in cases concerning:
- Drug charges
- Assault
- Breaking & entering
- Vandalism
- Fighting
- Larceny
A Different Court
One of the main objectives is to keep the case in juvenile court. Prosecutors are under pressure to charge any drug or violent crimes as adult charges. You need an experienced juvenile court attorney to prevent that, if possible. The juvenile system's chief objective is rehabilitation. That is not true in adult court. Some major differences include
- Not all juvenile cases are criminal in nature. Some involve children who need supervision.
- Some offenses can only be committed by juveniles, like underage drinking and truancy. Cases like this may or may not be tried in adult court.
- Juveniles do not have the same constitutional rights that an adult would have. They are minors, so the court treats them as such.
- Juvenile cases are almost always assigned a case or social worker.
- Punishments may include probation, curfew, or a mandate that the juvenile attend training school.
- Records from juvenile cases are sealed. Unlike adult criminal records, they will not show up on a normal background check.
A Second Chance
Staying out of the adult court system may enable a juvenile to start anew if he or she has gone wrong. The Hatcher Law Office, PLLC can advise and guide you in the juvenile system.