Juvenile Offenses

Rockville, Maryland, Juvenile Defense Lawyer

Juvenile justice is the area of criminal law applicable to persons not old enough to be held responsible for criminal acts. In Maryland, the age for criminal culpability is set at 18 years. The main goal of the juvenile justice system is rehabilitation rather than punishment.

Juveniles can be transferred into adult court if the juvenile court waives or relinquishes its jurisdiction.

Maryland's 23 counties and Baltimore City have juvenile courts, which are part of each county's circuit court and which provide methods for dealing with juvenile delinquency as an acceptable extension of state police power to ensure the safety and welfare of children.

The goal of juvenile court is to give children and parents the treatment and resources they need to stop cycles of delinquent behavior, end abuse and neglect and provide medical care so that the children have the opportunity to become productive citizens, rather than graduate to adult criminal court or suffer chronic, life-threatening abuse and neglect.

Our firm will work with the juvenile court, parents and school officials, if necessary, to negotiate a favorable disposition of your case. In addition to standard criminal cases, the firm defends juveniles charged with:

• Underage possession and use of alcohol
• Disturbing the peace
• School disciplinary suspension

The juvenile court has jurisdiction even if the youth turns 18 before the case is adjudicated, and jurisdiction continues until the age of 21. Cases generally fall within these categories:

• Child in Need of Assistance (CINA), involving a juvenile who has been physically, sexually or emotionally abused or neglected by someone responsible for his/her care
• Child in Need of Supervision (CINS), involving a juvenile who has committed an offense such as truancy, violation of curfew laws, running away, habitual disobedience or ungovernable behavior
• Citations which violate the alcoholic beverages laws, such as possessing liquor or misrepresenting one's age to obtain it, or drinking on school grounds
• Children who run away across state lines, either into or out of Maryland
• Violations of compulsory public school attendance
• Emergency medical treatment
• Termination of parental rights (TPR)
• Department of social services adoptions
• Delinquency

Free attorney consultation for criminal and personal injury matters: If your child has been charged with a crime in Maryland, call 301-251-9161 or fill out our contact form to discuss your case with an experienced Rockville criminal defense lawyer.