Trenton Juvenile Criminal Attorney

When your teenager gets into trouble with the law in the City of Trenton, you may find that one mistake can have a profound effect on his or her future. While some offenses are easier to live down than others, it is truly heartbreaking to hear of a teenager who must register as a sex offender after passing on a sexually explicit photo of another. Or perhaps your teen was engaged in underage drinking, or even drinking and driving. Whatever the offense, what you do in the hours following that dreaded phone call advising you of the arrest is crucial. Hiring an experienced juvenile criminal attorney can certainly insure that your next move is the right one.

Your job as a parent is both to ensure your child learns something from the experience, while also securing representation from a competent lawyer so your child’s future is not completely derailed. It is important to remember that if you must go to the Trenton Police Station or another location to pick up your child, it is not in anyone’s interest to be belligerent or combative. If the police have made mistakes in arresting your teen, experienced defense lawyers like those at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall are the ones best equipped to correct the situation. Indeed, we have over 100 years of collective experience, including significant time serving as prosecutors, to secure the outcome your son or daughter needs. Call us anytime of day or night at 609–683–8102 to speak to one of our attorneys immediately.

Trenton Juvenile Criminal Charge

Officials estimate that at least 15,000 juveniles throughout the state of New Jersey have some level of involvement with the juvenile justice system. This includes the juveniles who are enrolled in county and state crime prevention programs. On any given day, there are approximately 50 juveniles from Mercer County under the direct care of the Juvenile Justice Commission, many of these involved in gangs.

The JJC says that some New Jersey youth are being recruited into gangs as early as 5th or 6th grade—yet another worry for New Jersey parents. Trenton Central High School, both the main campus and the west campus are the primary high schools in Trenton, although Mercer High School, Daylight/Twilight High School and Foundation Academy Charter School are also in the Trenton area. In a May 2017 article, the Trenton Public School Systems ranked 81st on the list of New Jersey school districts with the most drug and alcohol problems—certainly not the highest, but not the lowest either.

While many parents think juvenile court is much the same as adult court, in fact, it is vastly different. Because of this, it is extremely important that you have a highly experienced Trenton juvenile criminal defense attorney on board as soon as possible. Your child’s rights must be properly protected when the offense he or she is being charged with could alter the future forever. Jonathan F. Marshall and the attorneys on his team have the necessary experience and knowledge regarding juvenile crimes in Trenton, New Jersey, handling all offenses and proceedings in Mercer County Family Court (Juvenile Part) including:

• Sex crimes;
• Robbery;
• Juvenile Assault ;
• Drug possession or trafficking;
• Criminal mischief;
• Waiver and retention hearings, and
• Weapons violations.

The Criminal Process in a Trenton Juvenile Case

Like an adult, your child will be advised of his or her rights, however the similarities between juvenile and adult court essentially end there. The officer may, at this point, divert the case rather than signing a formal delinquency complaint. This means the officer could release your child into your custody, with or without a warning—often referred to as “counseled and released.” If a complaint is signed against your child, the case will be referred to the Court intake service, where it will be reviewed and a determination will be made as to how the case will be handled. It is at this point that the decision will be made to:

• Divert the case to Juvenile Conference Committee or Intake Services Conference (usually for a minor offense or a first or second offense);
• Send the complaint to the Juvenile Referee/Informal Court or
• Send the complaint to the Superior Court.

The officer may request admission into a juvenile detention facility, based on the nature of the offense, the need to protect the public, a past history of delinquency, a failure to remain in a Court placement facility, or a failure to appear in Court. As a parent, you should always strongly consider consulting an attorney for any legal matter concerning your child, and the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall can immediately assist your child. A lawyer is ready now at 609–683–8102 to provide the guidance you need in this confusing time.