Miami Juvenile Criminal Defense Attorney

If your child is facing prosecution for a juvenile offense, it is critical to consult with an experienced Miami juvenile criminal defense attorney as soon as possible to ensure your child’s rights are protected. You need a juvenile law lawyer with experience defending a felony or misdemeanor charge in juvenile court to guide you through the process and maximize your chances of resolving your case with a favorable outcome.

If your child is accused of taking someone else’s property, our overview of theft offenses under Florida law explains the types of charges and possible defenses. The juvenile court process and possible outcomes require a separate review of your child’s circumstances.

You Want the Best for Your Child

As a parent, you want the best for your children.

You have worked hard to provide for them, sacrificed for them, and did your best to guide them, teach them and protect them.

Seeing them arrested or facing prosecution in juvenile court is painful, given all the hard work, energy, and sacrifice you have made to provide your son or daughter with the best foundation possible for a successful life.

While the immediate concern of protecting your child’s liberty is paramount, you fear the lasting consequences a juvenile case can have on their future. As a parent, a thousand worries and concerns race through your mind:

  • Will this cause my child to be suspended or expelled from their school?
  • Will it prevent them from getting scholarships?
  • Will it make them ineligible for financial aid?
  • Will it keep them from getting into college?
  • Will it prevent them from getting a good job?

A juvenile record does not automatically disappear when your child turns 18. Depending on the charge, the outcome, and your child’s history, there may be options for sealing or expunging the record. Juvenile records have special eligibility and retention rules, so reviewing those options should be part of planning for your child’s future.

As a parent, you need to immediately hire an experienced juvenile criminal defense lawyer in Miami to protect your substantial investment in your child’s future.

What Happens if My Child is Arrested in Miami?

Juveniles taken into custody for law violations in Miami may be released to their parents/guardians or brought to the Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC) located at 275 NW 2nd St., Miami, FL. If the officer releases the juvenile to a parent or guardian, they will later submit the case for review by the State Attorney’s Office. If the officer takes the youth to the JAC, JAC personnel will send the child’s case to the State Attorney’s Office the same day for review.

The Miami-Dade County Juvenile Services Department operates the Juvenile Assessment Center. During intake, your child is screened to help determine whether release to a parent or guardian, supervised release detention, or secure detention is appropriate. A child placed in secure detention may be held at the Miami Dade Regional Juvenile Detention Center, located at 3300 NW 27th Avenue, Miami, Florida.

A child placed in secure detention or supervised release detention must receive a detention hearing within 24 hours after being taken into custody. At that hearing, the judge reviews whether there is probable cause to believe the child committed the alleged offense and whether continued detention is warranted.

Juvenile Detention and Detention Hearings in Miami

The purpose of the detention hearing is for the judge:

  • To explain to the child and his parent or guardian the charges against them;
  • Determine whether or not there is probable cause to believe that the child committed the juvenile crime which brought them before the court;
  • To appoint the Public Defender if the family cannot afford an attorney;
  • To schedule the youth’s trial, which is called an adjudicatory hearing in the juvenile system; and
  • Determine whether the child should continue to be detained.

Under Florida’s juvenile detention law, secure detention before trial is generally limited to 21 days unless the adjudicatory hearing has begun. However, statutory exceptions and court-approved extensions can allow longer detention, particularly in cases involving serious charges. Time attributable to certain continuances may also be excluded. Supervised release detention follows different rules and may continue while the case is pending, subject to required court review. An experienced juvenile defense attorney can review the grounds for detention, challenge improper extensions, and seek your child’s release when the law permits.

Possible Filing of Charges in Adult Court

Florida law allows prosecutors to charge some juveniles in adult court through a process called “direct file.” Eligibility depends on the child’s age at the time of the alleged offense, the charge, and, in some cases, the child’s prior record. Section 985.557, Florida Statutes, sets out the direct-file criteria.

If the State Attorney’s Office is considering adult prosecution, early representation gives your child’s attorney an opportunity to present reasons for keeping the case in juvenile court. Any report hearing and detention deadlines must be assessed under the rules that apply to your child’s case.

Differences Between Juvenile Court and Adult Court

In a juvenile delinquency case, a judge hears the evidence without a jury. The State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the child committed the alleged delinquent act. If the State fails to meet that burden, the judge must dismiss the case.

If the judge finds that the child committed the act, the court may adjudicate the child delinquent or, when permitted, withhold adjudication. The court then determines the appropriate disposition, either at that hearing or at a later disposition hearing.

Additional Juvenile Resources

Miami-Dade County Juvenile Services – Information about the Juvenile Civil Citation Program, the Juvenile Assessment Center, juvenile diversion programs, and anti-violence initiatives.

Miami-Dade Clerk of the Court and Comptroller: Juvenile Court — Information about juvenile court records and Clerk’s Office services.

Miami Dade Regional Juvenile Detention Center — Facility contact information and visitation details from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.

Contact an Experienced Juvenile Defense Attorney in Miami

By taking immediate action by hiring an experienced juvenile defense attorney in Miami to defend your son or daughter, you are minimizing the chances of them suffering the potential long-lasting consequences that can accompany a juvenile case.

Over the years, our juvenile defense attorneys have represented hundreds of young people in juvenile cases in Miami and other counties. There is a good chance that we have a working knowledge and familiarity with the type of case your child has and your concerns as a parent.

CALL US NOW for a CONFIDENTIAL CONSULTATION at (305) 538-4545, or take a moment to fill out our confidential and secure intake form.* The additional details you provide will greatly assist us in responding to your inquiry.

FILL OUT INTAKE FORM

*Due to the large number of people who contact our law office requesting our assistance, it is strongly suggested that you take the time to provide us with specific details regarding your case by filling out our confidential and secure intake form. The additional details you provide will greatly assist us in responding to your inquiry promptly and appropriately.

ALWAYS INVESTIGATE A JUVENILE JUSTICE LAWYER’S QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE BEFORE MAKING A DECISION ON HIRING AN ATTORNEY TO DEFEND THEM AGAINST JUVENILE CHARGES IN MIAMI DADE COUNTY