If you are a parent or guardian and your child has been charged with a crime in Phoenix, you need to speak to an attorney about your case as soon as possible. Contrary to what many people may say, a person under the age of 18 can face serious consequences when they are charged with a crime. At the Nunez Law Firm, PLLC, we are going to take the charges against your child seriously and defend them vigorously in court. A juvenile crime conviction can result in significant penalties for your child that will affect the rest of their life, so let our Phoenix juvenile crimes lawyer get to work defending this case today.
If your child is facing any juvenile criminal charges, you need to work with a defense attorney who has experience handling these cases. Let Nunez Law Firm, PLLC help you through this today.
In the year 2020 there were 13,700 juvenile arrests in the state of Arizona.
If someone is under the age of 18 when they commit a crime in Phoenix, prosecutors will typically opt to charge them as a minor as opposed to trying them as an adult. The goal in these cases will be to rehabilitate the minor as opposed to having them serve time in jail or prison. This could include court-ordered community service, classes or counseling, and possible probation. The idea behind these rehabilitation attempts is that a child will be less likely to commit another offense in the future.
However, there are various situations in which a person under the age of 18 could be tried as an adult. In some cases, those accused of the following crimes could be tried as an adult or a juvenile:
A person under the age of 18 can also be tried as an adult if they have two prior trials in the juvenile court system for a felony and are then arrested for another felony.
Being charged as a minor as an adult is substantially different. If a person is being tried as a minor, these cases are typically sealed from the public. As opposed to being tried by a jury, juvenile trials are held in front of a judge. Phoenix has a special juvenile court system to handle these cases.
However, if a person is charged as an adult, they will face a trial by jury and could receive the same punishments as adults for the given crime (typically much harsher penalties). In Arizona, there are various classes at both misdemeanors (class 1 through 3) and felonies (class 1 through 6). These classes all have differing jail and prison sentences that a minor could be beholden to if they are tried and convicted as an adult.
When working to determine whether a child should be tried as an adult, there are a variety of factors that the court will consider before making their decision. These factors can include:
Speak with an experienced Phoenix juvenile crimes attorney for help understanding your charges.
It is important to understand that a criminal conviction can affect a child’s life for many years, regardless of whether or not the child is tried as a juvenile or as an adult. A criminal conviction will remain on the minor’s record and could affect their ability to get a job, find housing, go to school, or use the banking system.
That is why it is so important that parents and guardians secure a skilled juvenile crimes lawyer in Phoenix to help defend their child. An attorney can provide an unrelenting defense in an effort to ensure that these charges are overcome. An attorney has the resources necessary to conduct a complete investigation into the incident. Instead of relying solely on the information and evidence provided by law enforcement and prosecutors, a lawyer can:
Even if prosecutors have decided to try your child as an adult, that does not mean that the worst consequences are yet to come. A Phoenix juvenile crimes attorney will understand that there can be advantages to a minor being tried as an adult, including juries that may be more sympathetic to a youthful offender.
If your child has been charged with a misdemeanor or felony offense, you need to speak to an attorney about your case as soon as possible. Any criminal charge must be taken seriously, particularly those that can affect a person’s future before they even get to adulthood. At the Nunez Law Firm, PLLC, our goal is to conduct a complete investigation into the charges against your child in an effort to get them reduced or dismissed altogether. Contact our law firm online or by calling (602) 500-0000.
