Where should a juvenile crime case be heard?
Juvenile cases, those involving offenders under 18 years old, begin in family court. In cases involving serious crimes such as armed robbery, the prosecutor may ask the court to waive the case up to adult criminal court. Juvenile court is designed to rehabilitate youthful offenders, and the judge may decide to divert the case, sending it to a Juvenile Conference Committee or taking another measure to resolve the case through restitution, community service, job placement, or another rehabilitative measure. In the criminal court system the emphasis is on punishment, and a conviction may result in the minor being sentenced to a term in an adult prison. However, only in the criminal justice system does the accused have a right to a trial by jury. Our attorneys will consider all aspects of the case, and our client’s personal goals, before recommending whether to fight a waiver to criminal court, to accept a plea bargain, or to go to trial. Do convictions disappear when a juvenile turns 18?
