If your son or daughter has been accused or charged with a juvenile criminal offense in Perth Amboy New Jersey, they absolutely need representation from a skilled lawyer. The state of New Jersey requires that all minors facing a criminal charge have an attorney with them when appearing in Juvenile Court and a parent has no ability to waive this requirement.
Whether your child is guilty or innocent of the drug possession, CDS distribution, assault or other charges, they require competent and vigorous assistance to make certain they have every opportunity to minimize or eliminate the penalties that come with a conviction. The best way to accomplish this goal is to hire defense lawyers that possess the skills to thoroughly represent their interests at the Juvenile Part of the Middlesex County Superior Court in New Brunswick.
Here at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall, our attorneys have the attributes you need to help your juvenile. We are eight criminal litigators that include two former Middlesex County Prosecutors that have over 100 years of combined experience defending juvenile charges. To discuss the facts of your son or daughter’s case in a free initial consultation, contact our New Brunswick Office at 732-246-7126.
Juvenile Criminal Offense in Perth Amboy New Jersey
Young people are charged with the same kinds of criminal offenses that adults are charged with. But, in New Jersey, when the offender is under the age of 18, these offenses are referred to as acts of juvenile delinquency.
Children who are charged with committing delinquent acts in New Jersey are tried in a separate judicial system known as the juvenile justice system. When a minor/juvenile is arrested and/or otherwise charged with a criminal offense in Perth Amboy or any other municipality in Middlesex County, their case is heard at The Family Division of Middlesex County Superior Court, located at 120 New Street, PO Box 2691, New Brunswick, NJ, phone number 732-519-3205. This court presides over all juvenile matters including those involving:
- Simple Assault
- Terroristic Threats
- Harassment
- Illegal Weapon Charges
- Aggravated Assault
- Sexual Assault
- Possession of Marijuana
- Distribution of Xanax & Other Drugs
- Robbery
- Burglary
- Theft
- Distribution CDS in a School Zone
The overall goal of the juvenile justice system is to rehabilitate juvenile offenders, rather than to punish them for their behavior. In some instances, however, older juveniles who commit more serious criminal offenses will be tried as adults in the adult court system. In these cases, the penalties, if convicted, will be more severe and punitive in nature. Whereas, in the juvenile justice system, any period of incarceration will usually be in a more rehabilitative environment and will generally last only until the juvenile reaches the age of majority.
In the worst case scenario, your child could be sentenced to a juvenile correctional facility, which is akin to a state prison for kids. Coming down the scale of seriousness is placement in a residential care or rehabilitation program facility. Coming down even further, your child may be sentenced to probation, where he or she may be required to obey a curfew, to attend counseling, perform community service, submit to random drug testing, maintain steady employment, and/or pay restitution to the victim(s).
Juveniles have the same rights as adults under the New Jersey and the United States constitutions. They have the right to remain silent, the right to a phone call to a parent, guardian or an attorney. They also have the right against unlawful search and seizure and arrests.
If your juvenile has been the victim of an unlawful search and seizure or arrest, it is imperative that you enlist an accomplished juvenile attorney to challenge the actions of the Perth Amboy Police, school official or other agency that violated their rights. A skilled lawyer will file the necessary motions to get the evidence sought against your juvenile suppressed and, in some cases, this can even lead to a dismissal of the charges.
Perth Amboy Juvenile Criminal Attorney
Whenever a juvenile is charged with breaking the law, an experienced juvenile defense lawyer is needed to equalize the balance of power between your child and the prosecution, and to ensure that the constitutional rights that are guaranteed to all juvenile defendants, whether guilty or not, are preserved. Our juvenile defense attorneys understand that when your juvenile is accused of a crime, it affects not only them and their future, it also affects those that are close to them, including their parents, guardians, and siblings. The lawyers at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall are caring, understanding, and confidential. We urge you to contact us at 732-201-6509 or via our contact page so that you can immediately speak to a knowledgeable lawyer and begin to build a defense to the charges against your child.
