In California, those who are accused of a crime and are under the age of 18, with some exceptions, are prosecuted in the California Juvenile court system. 

The intent of the juvenile court system is to rehabilitate and not punish the juveniles.  The consequences depend on the seriousness of the crime and the criminal history of the juvenile.

There are many differences between the adult and juvenile criminal system.  The juvenile system has a unique set of rules and procedures.  For example, minors are not entitled to bail or a jury trial.  The case can be dismissed at any stage of the proceeding, even before it goes to court.

In some cases, the child could be tried as an adult, which means that the juvenile case proceeds in adult court.

The time element is very important in juvenile cases.  The sooner you contact a criminal defense attorney the better a skilled criminal defense attorney may be able to get your child’s case dismissed in its initial stages or minimize the crime with which he is charged if he is contacted early enough. 

At the Law Offices of Ramiro J. Lluis, we know the juvenile court system and have successfully defended countless cases.  We will work very hard to:

            Release the child from custody

            Convince the district attorney not to file criminal charges

            Reduce charges from felony to misdemeanor

            Dismiss the case

            Get the least possible penalty for the crime

Call today and speak to an attorney about your case.

                        (213) 687- 4412