Orange County Juvenile Crime Defense Attorneys

No parent wants to see his or her child arrested and charged with a crime. If your child has been accused of a crime in Orange County, we understand how you feel. It is a serious issue that could affect your child's development, personal life, education, growth and future. If your child has been arrested, you need the skilled Orange County juvenile crime defense attorneys who are extremely familiar with this area of the law because it's a different world and a different ball game.

Individuals under the age of 18 who are charged with a crime are usually sent to juvenile court. These courts are separate from the criminal courts system that adults deal with. Juvenile courts are designed to meet the special needs of children and teens charged with crimes. They also aim to rehabilitate, counsel and educate children. Adult courts are more focused on trial and punishment.

However, getting sent to the Orange County juvenile court system does not mean that your child will escape punishment or incarceration. Juvenile courts deal with two types of offenses:

• Status offenses: These are those offenses that would have been legal but for the minor's age. Examples of these offenses are possession of alcohol or driving without a license.
• Delinquency crimes: These are crimes committed by a minor that would remain crimes irrespective of the defendant's age, such as robbery, murder, rape and so on.

A minor facing juvenile criminal case is not entitled to a jury trial. On the contrary, a juvenile court judge or commissioner will determine the defendant's guilt or innocence. The prosecutor in a juvenile court must prove "beyond a reasonable doubt" that the juvenile is guilty of the crime.

When a juvenile is 14 years or older, the prosecution may decide to try him or her as an adult. This largely depends on the seriousness of the crime. When a juvenile is facing such serious charges, it is extremely important that he or she is represented by a juvenile criminal defense attorney because cases where juveniles are treated as adults spell serious consequences including lengthy prison time.

The skilled Orange County criminal defense lawyers at Wallin & Klarich can help dismiss the charges against your child or help minimize the charges. Our experienced juvenile crime attorneys can help you clean up a juvenile record and make the best possible case to the judge so your child avoids significant time in lock-up. If your child is facing juvenile criminal charges in Orange County, please call Wallin & Klarich for a free evaluation of your case.