At West Coast Defense, our criminal defense law firm is small enough to be responsive to the needs of each young client we represent. With extensive experience both as a prosecutor and as a defense attorney, we bring a unique perspective to creating a defense strategy which particularly fits our client’s circumstances.
In California, juveniles (under the age of 18) have a separate court system from adults that operates differently. For example, there is no jury trial. Juvenile courts have the goal of rehabilitating offenders into more constructive behavior. A Long Beach juvenile criminal attorney must be familiar with this court system in order to effectively defend a child.
The children who are seen in these courts can be separated into categories:
- Children who need to be cared for because they have been abused or abandoned
- Children who committed an act that would not be wrong if committed by an adult
- Children who have committed an act that would be considered a criminal act if committed by an adult
- Children 14 years of age or older who have committed a serious crime
This last category may first face a fitness hearing to determine if the he or she should be tried as an adult or be dealt with in the juvenile system. We’re dedicated to protecting the rights of any child accused of a crime.
