Glendale Juvenile Crimes Lawyer

If a juvenile family member faces a status offense or any criminal charge, contact the Stewart Law Group as soon as possible for a consultation with a Glendale juvenile crimes attorney. Different procedures are in place in the Arizona legal system for handling offenses committed by minors under the age of 18. Depending on the type of violation in question, a juvenile offender could face significant legal penalties and may even qualify for trial as an adult in some cases.

Defending Against Juvenile Charges

A juvenile offender and his or her family will rely upon a Glendale criminal defense attorney to help the offender avoid serious penalties like incarceration or altered living arrangements. A defense attorney can help prove a juvenile offender’s contrition and commitment to living responsibly. Ultimately, a defense attorney can help a juvenile offender get his or her behavior for a more productive adult life.

Contact the Stewart Law Group today to schedule a consultation for a juvenile offense in the Glendale, AZ, area. Once our attorneys review the details of your situation, we can advise you of potential defenses, the most likely outcome of a future trial, and the ways our firm can help.

Why Hire the Stewart Law Group?

• Since the first days of our law firm’s existence, we have helped thousands of clients defend against a wide variety of criminal charges.
• We understand that juvenile criminal proceedings are very different from typical criminal cases, and we have extensive experience handling cases for status offenses, delinquency, and violent crimes.
• Our attorneys take a client-focused approach to legal representation to help ensure the best possible defense in any juvenile crime case.
• The attorneys at Stewart Law Group are former prosecutors. This means we know how local prosecutors build their cases and the ruling tendencies of most judges in the area.

Is a Defense Attorney Necessary for a Juvenile Crime Case?

A minor committing a crime may appear to be less severe than an adult committing a similar offense, and some parents may wonder if they need to hire defense attorneys to handle juvenile crime charges against their children. A juvenile criminal case can negatively impact a young offender’s life in several ways. The right defense attorney can make a dramatic difference in the outcome of any juvenile crime case and may even be able to secure alternative punishments or diversionary programs to help a troubled youth get his or her life back on track before adulthood.

A juvenile crime conviction can lead to house arrest, mandatory incarceration at a juvenile detention facility, and possibly incarceration in a state prison or county jail in extreme cases. In most cases, first offenders may receive verbal warnings or pay fines or restitution to the victims of their offenses. A juvenile criminal record can also negatively impact a young offender’s college prospects, job opportunities, living arrangements, and lead to other long-term issues.

Types of Juvenile Offenses and Their Penalties

The Arizona court system hears two main types of juvenile cases.

• A status offense is a wrongdoing that would not qualify as a crime if an adult committed the same offense. Examples include truancy, curfew violations, underage possession of alcohol or tobacco products, and running away from parents.
• Delinquency violations describe minors committing criminal offenses. Minors do not count as adults except under extreme circumstances, so the court approaches these cases differently.

Convictions for status offenses typically lead to verbal warnings, suspension of the juvenile’s driver’s license, mandatory counseling, or diversionary programs, and possibly relocation to new living arrangements. There are many things considered when punishments are given out to juveniles in Arizona. Possible penalties vary for delinquency convictions may include incarceration at a juvenile detention facility, fines, restitution, diversionary programs, community service, and counseling.