Criminal Defense Lawyers: Union County Juvenile Charges
The call to a parent advising that their child was arrested can be extremely unnerving. The typical reaction is that there must be a mistake or how could my child be guilty of a crime? The unfortunate truth is, however, that juvenile charges are filed every day throughout NJ, including Union County. The attorneys at our defense firm, the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall, know too well how frequent Union County police departments can file a criminal complaint against a juvenile. We have been practicing juvenile defense in Union County and elsewhere for approximately 60 years: Jonathan F. Marshall for almost 20 years, Colin Bonus for approximately 30 years and Thomas V. Campo for over 15 years. If your child is facing a burglary, drug possession (cocaine, marijuana, heroin, prescription, etc.), intent to distribute or sell drugs, theft, robbery, criminal mischief, harassment, assault, aggravated assault, possession of a weapon, dwi, drinking underage, etc., we have the answers you are looking for. We would be happy to speak to you immediately to discuss how we can help your child and family. A lawyer from our firm is available 24/7 at 1-877-450-8301.
Juvenile Detention & Retention Hearings
A child can be held by police following arrest and this is referred to as initial detention. Within 24 hours of being taken into custody, the juvenile is entitled to a hearing at the Union County Superior Court where continued custody or retention is evaluated by a Family Court Judge. The Court may order that the child remain in custody if: (1) it finds that retention is necessary to secure the appearance of the child; or (2) the juvenile would “seriously threaten” the safety of the community if he were released. If it is determined that the child should remain in custody, a detention review hearing is to follow within 14 days. Subsequent reviews shall be conducted at intervals no greater than 21 days.
Mandatory Assignment of An Attorney
At all Union County juvenile proceedings, the child must be represented by an attorney. A parent cannot handle the defense of a juvenile as NJ law requires representation by a lawyer.
Juvenile Crimes
The criminal offenses and charges heard in Juvenile Court are essentially the same as those prosecuted in adult court. The crimes include theft, shoplifting, robbery, assault, harassment, possession of marijuana, possession of a weapon, false or forged ID, distribution of drugs, driving underage, criminal mischief, burglary, dwi and just about any other criminal charge.
If your child was arrested or charged with a criminal offense, we are here to assist you. A lawyer who is knowledgeable in defending Union County Juvenile crimes is available immediately at 1-877-450-8301.
