JUVENILE PROCEEDINGS
A. Juvenile Crimes
If a child is charged with a crime, there are special rules and procedures designed to permit the imposition of consequences, while protecting the child’s rights as a non-adult. The forum, the process, and the ultimate penalties are all significantly different in juvenile cases than in similar cases involving adults.
When we represent minors, we understand the stress the case puts not just on the minor, but on their families. Interference with schooling, unwanted invasions of family privacy, and social stigmas are just a few of the countless issues that arise in juvenile crime cases.
Our attorneys believe in providing high-quality representation to minors to help them not just contest the charges, but address the issues that led to the charges in the first place. We can work with you to look into alternative programs aimed at rehabilitation, not punishment. We know that the ultimate goal is not just to get rid of the case, but to ensure that your family does not find itself in this position again. We have helped hundreds of families resolve their legal difficulties so they can put the case behind them, and move on with their lives.
B. P.I.N.S. cases
When a child does not attend school, acts in a violent manner, or consistently disobeys instructions from her parents or guardians, she may be deemed a “Person in Need of Supervision,” or PINS.
A PINS case may be started by a parent or guardian, by a school, or by a person who was injured by the child. These cases are held in family court, and the child may be represented by an attorney.
PINS cases are specialized, and can cause great harm if not handled correctly. As the result of a PINS hearing, a child can be separated from his parents, placed into foster care, or assigned to a treatment facility or program. It is vital that the child has legal representation to protect his rights during this process.
Our attorneys have experience with PINS cases, and can advise the family or represent the child to ensure that the PINS hearing does not cause major disruption to the child’s education, family relationship, and development.
C. School Suspension
When a child faces disciplinary charges in school, the stakes are high. Aside from the stress this places on both the student and the family, discipline that involves suspension or expulsion from school can have a lasting effect on the child’s education, and can prevent them from graduating, attending college, and pursuing their chosen career path.
The school disciplinary process in New York provides opportunity for a hearing at which the student and his attorney can present evidence, tell their side of the story, and urge the decision-makers to refrain from issuing an expulsion or long suspension.
Our attorneys approach school discipline cases with compassion, and a sense of the importance of achieving a positive result. Because of the lasting impact disciplinary action can have on a young person’s life, it is absolutely vital that we prepare a well-organized, coherent defense, and explore possible alternatives to school discipline.
We often recommend anger management, counseling, or community service as a way to put the child back on the path to success. This is because the goal in a school disciplinary hearing is not just to avoid punishment, but to address the root causes of the behavior issue so the situation will not arise in the future.