Juvenile Criminal Defense

Criminal Defense in Juvenile Court Cases

When a young person under age 17 commits a juvenile crime, they do not go into the adult criminal justice system. Their case is handled under a family law code, by a separate court overseen by the Texas Department of Juvenile Justice, and best handled by a juvenile criminal defense attorney.

If convicted, the teenager or young person typically does not go into an adult prison or jail but instead is sent to a juvenile detention center where the goal of their stay is supposedly rehabilitation. In truth, the detention center is a prison for kids ages 10 to 16.

At the Schneider Law Firm, we take juvenile criminal defense cases as seriously as adult cases. The actions taken at this time in your son or daughter’s life could very well affect them for years to come. We want to ensure it helps them move forward in a positive way.

Our juvenile criminal defense lawyer, P. Micheal Schneider – is very familiar with the juvenile justice system in Texas. He will thoroughly investigate the claims against your child to prepare a strong defense. Contact our law firm to schedule a free consultation with one of our attorneys: 817-755-1852.

If action is going to be taken against your child, we may be able to get your child into a deferred prosecution program if this is their first offense. A deferred prosecution program is probation or placement at an inpatient or outpatient treatment facility. When they have completed their program, their case can be dismissed.

A Strong Defense Against Any Juvenile Criminal Charge

P. Micheal Schneider defends clients against a wide range of juvenile criminal charges in juvenile court, including:

  • Drug crimes, including possession and sale of marijuana and prescription drugs
  • Shoplifting, theft, and stealing checks
  • Identity theft and false IDs
  • Criminal mischief
  • Evading arrest or detention
  • Property crimes, such as vandalism, graffiti, and destruction of public property
  • Underage drinking and drunk driving (DUI)
  • Assault, assault with bodily injury of a family member, assault on a public servant (often a teacher), assault on a playground
  • Sexual assault of a child (a younger child)

Why You Do Not Want a Juvenile Record If You Can Help It

You may have heard that a juvenile’s criminal record can be sealed so no one knows that they committed a crime when they were young. That does not happen automatically, and it does not happen for every crime. It takes an experienced juvenile criminal defense attorney to accomplish a juvenile record expungement. If you were convicted of an aggravated felony or a sex offense, or if you are going to finish the rest of your sentence in the adult criminal system, your juvenile criminal record cannot be sealed.

If your criminal record can be sealed, we will have to petition the court to seal it. In most cases, that cannot be done until you are 21 years of age. If you were arrested for an alcohol violation that was handled in municipal or justice court, we can petition to get the record expunged; again, no one can see the record.

Call for a Free Consultation with a Juvenile Defense Attorney

Call and talk to one of our criminal defense lawyers if you have questions about sealing – or expunging – a juvenile criminal record. Call 817-755-1852 for a free consultation.