Juvenile Crimes

Tarrant County Juvenile Defense Attorneys

Young people are arrested for the same kinds of criminal law violations as adults. If your child is between 10 and 16 years old at the time of arrest, their case will be handled in juvenile court. If your child is 17 years of age or older, they will be tried in adult court. Some juveniles under age 17 can also be certified to stand trial in adult court if the crime is serious enough.

Juveniles who are accused of violating the criminal law are prosecuted in juvenile court, using a similar, but in many respects different system. The juvenile court and confinement facilities are separate from those used for adults. A case filed in juvenile court involves a petition filed by the prosecutor alleging the juvenile engaged in a criminal law violation that is referred to as delinquent conduct. The initial contact in the juvenile justice system, after the police officials usually consists of a juvenile probation official.

Even though juvenile cases are technically civil proceedings, there are still serious events with serious consequences. If your child is adjudicated as a juvenile delinquent, he or she will have a criminal record, which could affect them if they are later charged with a crime as an adult. Juveniles may also receive indeterminate sentencing, in which they are sentenced to a juvenile detention center and then are transferred to adult prison when they reach age 17.

Prompt intervention by an experienced lawyer can frequently improve the final outcome. In those cases where a juvenile client's guilt is clear, we focus in the juvenile system's resources in rehabilitation efforts trying to avoid negative, long-term consequences for your child.

A juvenile found guilty of a crime may face disciplinary consequences at school. Additionally, disciplinary rules in many school districts impose sanctions against a student, even before the criminal case is decided in court. The school district may require that your child attend alternative school for a period of time. Our lawyers can advise you in any school disciplinary proceeding that affects your child.

Free consultation: If your child has been charged with a juvenile crime in Texas, contact a board-certified criminal defense attorney at Ball & Hase in Arlington. In an emergency, call 817.860.5000. We answer calls 24 hours a day.