Juvenile Crimes

The Juvenile Justice System is essentially a civil process. However, despite this, a child charged in Juvenile Court is still very much exposed to potentially severe punishment. Although it is certainly possible to have records sealed from Juvenile Court, it is to a child’s detriment to not take the defense of a juvenile charge seriously.

At the Matlock Law Firm, attorney Shawn Matlock has represented hundreds of juvenile clients charged with everything from minor drug charges at school to complex, high-profile murder cases. Few firms can claim to have represented the kind of breadth and depth of juvenile cases as the Matlock Law Firm. Not only does the firm represent juvenile clients charged in the trial court, but also on appeal as well. There has rarely been an attorney to have the type of impact on the Juvenile Justice System through the appellate process as Shawn Matlock. See the results page here.

The Juvenile process typically begins with the arrest, or detention, of the juvenile respondent. The terminology is different in Juvenile Court, however, the results may still be the same. A Juvenile respondent is detained without the possibility of making bond. A respondent may be released from detention after a detention hearing. The primary issues at a detention hearing are whether the respondent is a flight risk, or a danger to himself or the community.

Following the detention hearing, the juvenile respondent can look forward to an Adjudication Hearing and possibly a Disposition Hearing. The Adjudication Hearing is the Juvenile equivalent of the guilt/ innocence phase of an adult case. The Adjudication might be a guilty plea, or a stipulation to the evidence in Juvenile Court, or a jury trial. The end result is the same; the guilt or innocence of the juvenile respondent is determined. However, in Juvenile Court, a respondent is not found guilty, rather she is determined to be delinquent.

Following a delinquency finding, the next step is the Disposition Hearing. This is the equivalent of the adult Sentencing Hearing. At this hearing, it is determined whether the respondent will be placed on probation, directed to an out-of-home placement facility, or ordered to the Texas Youth Commission, the juvenile equivalent of prison.

The Juvenile system is fundamentally different in two major areas. The first is the hands-on approach played by the Juvenile Probation Officer from the very beginning of the case. The second is the overriding principle the Juvenile System is predicated upon, namely rehabilitation.

From the beginning of the case against a juvenile respondent, the Juvenile Probation Department plays an active role in the resolution of the case. The probation officer will typically interview the respondent as well as her family to ascertain the full background of the respondent. Following this, the probation officer will typically prepare a case study of the respondent for the judge’s review in the event of a Disposition Hearing. While the probation officer will often times make suggestions as to the prospective outcome of the case, these are not binding on the court.

The overriding principle of the Juvenile Justice system is allegedly that of rehabilitation. The system seeks to provide juveniles the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. There are a number of programs available to the juvenile respondent that are not otherwise available to an adult defendant. Knowing the programs available, and the manner in which the programs are applied and utilized can make for a successful outcome of a juvenile’s case in Juvenile Court.

At the Matlock Law Firm, attorney M. Shawn Matlock has the experience and skills necessary to defend a juvenile against essentially any charge. Juveniles are charged with the same type of crimes as adults. The difference is the type of punishment or resolution to the case. Knowing the system, and how to successfully navigate, can make all the difference.

Fort Worth Juvenile Defense Attorney/ Tarrant County Juvenile Criminal Defense Lawyer/ Arlington Juvenile Defense Lawyer/ North Texas Juvenile Crimes Attorney

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