When your son or daughter gets into trouble with the law, it may be tempting to assume the courts will bend over backwards to help the juvenile avoid time in a detention center. Unfortunately, that is a wrong assumption because juveniles are sentenced to serve time in juvenile detention facilities every day. You may believe your child should not be handed such harsh consequences for a first time offense, but the court views the situation very differently. That's why you need to retain an experienced attorney in Frederick, MD who is knowledgeable in minor and major crimes juveniles are most often involved in.  Legal Representation Needed at Any Age Anyone in this country has a right to legal representation when they run afoul of the law or are accused of a crime whether it's a felony or misdemeanor. That's true for juveniles as well as adults. As is also true for adults, the more experienced the attorney is the better for defense. An attorney who works on juvenile criminal cases is skilled at negotiating with domestic relations courts, juvenile courts and even criminal courts depending on the charge. Many juvenile cases handled by a defense attorney in Frederick, MD are concerned with traffic violations or delinquency. Traffic violations charges include: >> Speeding and also possibly putting pedestrian lives in danger as a result of the speeding
>> Racing  
>> Driving recklessly  
>> Driving with a license and/or insurance
>> Violating state laws like the seat belt requirement or texting while driving laws In addition, juveniles may be accused of acts that would be criminal if they were adults. For example, vandalism, driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and threatening another person with a weapon are crimes that may be felonies if committed by an adult. The courts do recognize that teenagers under the age of 18 do not always make good decisions, and some crimes should not be held against them the rest of their lives.  However, serious crimes can lead to serious consequences at any age. You always need good legal representation whenever a juvenile is charged with a crime. An attorney in Frederick, MD can represent the child to insure that his or her rights are defended. In fact, the law requires that one or both of the parents appear in court with the juvenile, or an attorney can be appointed if the child's parents are unable to appear.  Juveniles May Be Treated Like Adults Here is a fact that some parents don't realize though. A juvenile who is over 14 years old and commits a serious crime, like holding up a pharmacy with a gun, may be surprised to find the prosecutor can ask that the case be moved to the circuit court.  
If that were to happen, the juvenile case is treated like an adult case. In other words, the juvenile is certified as an adult. Having a defense attorney in Frederick, MD is critical in any juvenile case. It is important to make sure the teenager is treated fairly according to the law, and if at all possible, to keep the case from becoming an adult prosecution. Any crime is serious, but you don't want your child trying to start life as an adult with a criminal record. Parents should take every charge seriously because they have no way of knowing the seriousness of the long term consequences.