It’s a nightmare of for parent when their teenaged child has been arrested for some reason. If you do have a child and they are facing legal charges, then you need to understand a few things about Connecticut Juvenile Court. Proceedings are handled differently for juveniles than they are in adult court. If you aren’t prepared, you may not understand what is going on or what needs to happen next. If you have a dependable defense attorney, then this is a good step for handling the process, but as a parent, you also need to be aware of what is going to happen. Remember that your child’s whole future hangs in the balance. You certainly don’t want to take any chances.
In the state of Connecticut, the juvenile court system is designed specifically to handle cases involving children under the age of eighteen. This can include cases for drug charges, traffic violations, and more. There are a few things different about the Connecticut Juvenile Court as compared to the adult court system:
There is no jury in a juvenile court case. The judge hears all evidence, decides on a verdict and handles sentencing. Bail is not required to be set and is left to discretion of the judge. If the judge decides to, a child can be held in a youth detention center throughout the whole case if this is considered beneficial to the child.
When you first enter the court system, you may be slightly surprised to see such a closed courtroom. However, the teen’s privacy is held to the highest degree and a jury is bypassed for several different reasons.
All juvenile court records are sealed. They are not available to the public. However, there are some who will know the outcome of the proceedings, including the victims in the case. However, there is something you must keep in mind: a juvenile court conviction doesn’t just magically disappear. In fact, it could hinder the child as they grow older from educational and career opportunities even though the records themselves are kept sealed.
If your child is going to juvenile court, you need top quality legal advice, which you can gain from the Law Offices of Mark Sherman. We understand how juvenile court works and how the system is different. We can handle your child’s case in the Stamford or Bridgeport area as a team of compassionate, caring legal representatives. Your child’s rights should be protected, and that means you need to hire a professional defense attorney as soon as possible.
Contact the Law Offices of Mark Sherman as soon as you find out that your teen is going to juvenile court. You will find the legal advice you need. We are available to you, and we offer a team of bilingual, English, and Spanish speaking attorneys available to help you and your child 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We are here for you when you need us.
