Helping Families With Kids In The Juvenile Court System
For parents, there are few things more frightening than having a child get arrested and enter into the juvenile court system. Most people don’t have much experience in this system, and the whole thing can be quite intimidating. You don’t know how the process works, you don’t know what will happen to your child and you don’t know if this situation will haunt your child for the rest of his or her life.
We are here to help you. At Thompson Law, we represent clients in Scranton and throughout Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. Our lead attorney William D. Thompson has 15 years of experience handling cases like this. He takes a focused, personalized approach. We understand the challenges you are facing. We will take the time to listen to you, understand your situation and help you through the entire process to find the solutions that will work best for you and your family.
Differences In The Juvenile Court System
In many ways, the juvenile court system is different from the justice system for adults:
- Instead of a trial, there is an adjudication hearing.
- Instead of being convicted of criminal charges, a juvenile could be “adjudicated delinquent.”
- Rather than prison terms and other punishments, the court will determine whether your child needs treatment, rehabilitation, supervision or any combination of the three.
- Rather than sentencing, juvenile court has a disposition hearing to determine what is the best course of action for the child.
These are just a few of the critical differences between the standard criminal justice system and the alternative court system for juveniles.
Even though the juvenile court system is much less punitive than the adult system, it is still scary for parents whose kids have been arrested for a delinquent act. You still need strong defense and an advocate to help you through the process.
Contact Us Today
Do not delay. It is important to get a lawyer involved as soon as possible. Call us at 570-846-2819 or email us to talk with a lawyer in a free initial consultation.