Juvenile Crime Defense Attorneys in West Palm Beach, Florida
Juveniles - that is, persons under the age of 18 in Florida — can commit, be charged and arrested for, and be put on trial for exactly the same crimes as adults. The system of juvenile justice system is different that that for adults, however, and defense of a minor requires an attorney who is familiar with the differences in procedures.
The attorneys at the Law Offices of Richard W. Springer have over 50 years of cumulative experience in criminal defense law and are intimately familiar with the rules and regulations governing both adult and juvenile legal details. They are skilled and passionate defense attorneys who will leverage their considerable knowledge of Florida laws behind the scenes and in court. Because the consequences of juvenile violations are so great, be sure that your child has the strongest possible criminal defense – attorney Richard W. Springer is an accomplished trial attorney with a 30-year record of success handling criminal defense.
Juveniles may be tried as adults
The state of Florida has some leeway in juvenile cases. Under some circumstances a child can be tried in adult court if the child is 14 and older.
If a juvenile is tried as an adult the penalties to which adults are subject will apply. In the charge of a serious crime and the defense attorney must push for youthful offender status, under which the juvenile found if guilty, cannot receive more than 4 years in a juvenile facility followed by 3 years of probation.
When determining possible sentence recommendations and criminal charges, prosecutors can consider juvenile offenses as far back as five years. In some cases, juvenile records may become public records. This would allow access to the child's past misconduct in future background checks, possibly having a negative impact on future educational, job and housing opportunities.
Competent legal representation is vital
A juvenile should never go into the legal system alone – juveniles need an experienced and knowledgeable criminal defense attorney to protect their rights, their future and their freedom. Attorneys at the Law Offices of Richard W. Springer understand alternative sentencing and deferred prosecution options that may be available to juveniles and they know what options to exercise in order to keep a juvenile's record clean.
The procedures in juvenile criminal court are different and there may be differences in punishments or alternative sentencing options. If your child is facing criminal charges, don’t you want them to have a lawyer familiar with the specifics of juvenile defense?
Call the Law Offices of Richard W. Springer to protect your child's rights
If your son, daughter, niece, nephew, grandchild or other juvenile loved one is in trouble with the law, it is in the child's best interest to contact the Law Offices of Richard W. Springer for a free initial consultation and assessment of the case.
"Mr. Springer, I wish you and your family the best and hope that these two little girls find their way to your special family. I hope that one day they get to see their father in action and how he genuinely treats people with respect and feeling. I have the utmost respect and admiration for you."
