Juvenile practice is totally unlike any other area of law.  The great divide in theory and authority comes from the “State’s interest” in protecting children both from themselves and from others.

Often times, though, the interests of the State may not be the best outcome for the child.  In Juvenile Delinquency cases, there is no right to a jury trial and minor’s rights as criminal defendants are trampled upon with incredible regularity.  In Juvenile Dependency cases, social workers are expected to make recommendations on hundreds of cases based on a few minutes’ worth of time with each child and their families.

In juvenile cases, judges make the singular determination of what will happen to each child.  Those judges’ decisions are often and sometimes exclusively based on information gained from social workers and juvenile probation officers investigating and tracking vast amounts of children.

One can quickly see the importance of an attorney who is a focused professional counselor and legal intermediary to step in and find the best solution for your child to prevent them from becoming a statistic.

Please see our sub-sections on Juvenile Delinquency and Juvenile Dependency for further information.