Orange County Juvenile Crimes & Criminal Defense
A person under 18, who is charged with a crime, is sent to juvenile court. Acts committed by a youth which fall within the jurisdiction of the Juvenile Court are either status offenses or delinquency cases.
Status offenses include failure to obey curfew, habitual truancy, being beyond the control of one’s parents, etc. Youth who are made a ward of the court in this category are referred to as status offenders. Their cases are referred to as“601” Cases, in reference to Welfare and Institutions Code Section 601. In Status Offenses a probation officer, rather than a District Attorney, files the petition against the minor.
Delinquency cases are filed by the District Attorney when the act committed by that minor would have been a crime if committed by an adult. These cases are referred to as “602” cases, in reference to Welfare and Institutions Code Section 602.
The Juvenile Justice System in California operates on unique procedures separate and different from the adult criminal system. These special courts are designed to rehabilitate, counsel and educate children. This is in sharp contrast to the adult criminal court system which is focused primarily on punishment.
At The Gonzalez Law Firm we believe that children in the juvenile justice system require timely access to competent, well trained and properly resourced counsel. We believe that the representation of children requires specialized expertise and our firm has that expertise.
Juvenile Court – Delinquency
At our firm we understand that juveniles are often pushed through a court system without a complete and detailed understanding of their rights, without a full examination of their charges. We are here to change that. We are committed to posing a vigorous defense. We passionately believe that children coming before the court must be given the shield of all statutory and constitutional protections guaranteed by our system of law.
It is critical to exercise your child’s right to have an attorney present, at every step of the process. Contact Santa Ana juvenile defense Attorney David Gonzalez today for a consultation.