If your child is facing criminal charges in Harleysville, PA, the first thing you should do is contact a juvenile criminal defense lawyer in Harleysville. Your child should not make any statements to the police or anyone else without speaking with a lawyer first. Even as a minor, your child’s statements may be used against them in a criminal trial. Your child should invoke the fifth amendment, remain silent, and ask to call a criminal defense lawyer.
McKenzie Law Firm, P.C. can help your child move past these charges and get on with their life. Our team believes in the presumption of innocence as well as the idea that young people who make mistakes deserve another chance.
For a free case evaluation with a member of our team, call us at 610-680-7842.
No Matter What Charges Your Child Is Facing, McKenzie Law Firm, P.C., Wants to Help
Juveniles must follow the same laws as adults. If an adult can be charged with a particular crime, so can a minor. However, there is also a long list of laws that apply exclusively to children. For example, there are truancy laws, drinking age laws, restricted driver’s license regulations, and, in certain areas, curfews.
Whether your child is facing a misdemeanor or a serious felony, our team here at McKenzie Law Firm, P.C. wants to help. We have successfully defended minors accused of the following crimes and more:
- Assault/battery
- Auto theft
- DUI
- Possession of a fake ID
- Homicide
- Possession of drugs
- Robbery
- Sale of drugs
- Sex crimes
- Shoplifting
- Theft
- Truancy
- Underage consumption of alcohol
Keeping Your Child Out of Adult Court
Our first priority is to make sure your child’s case stays out of adult court. If your child gets tried as an adult, they face far more severe consequences and their criminal record may follow them for life. Our team has had great success petitioning for our underage clients’ cases to be held in juvenile court rather than adult court.
Casting Reasonable Doubt
We will review all the evidence in your child’s case and determine if we can create enough doubt to keep the prosecution from reaching their burden of proof. If so, it might be best for your child to go to trial and plead not guilty. In court, we will deliver a powerful defense that pokes holes in the prosecution’s case and establishes reasonable doubt.
Alternative Justice
If the prosecution has substantial evidence that your child is guilty, we can push for alternative justice instead of jail or juvenile detention.
For instance, if your child’s case involves alcohol or drugs, we can argue that both your child and society are better served in the long run if your child goes to a rehab program rather than juvenile detention. If the charge is for shoplifting or theft, we can draw up an agreement in which your child pays restitution and performs community service.
Also, by keeping your child’s case in juvenile court, we make sure they get a clean record when they turn 18 — as long as they stay out of trouble in the meantime.
For your free case evaluation with McKenzie Law Firm, P.C., call 610-680-7842 today.
How We Work to Keep Your Child’s Case Out of Adult Court
For certain crimes, your child may face adult charges even if they are not yet 18 years old. The prosecution may ask for either a discretionary or presumptive waiver to move your child’s case from juvenile to adult court.
Discretionary Waiver
If your child has been charged with a felony and is at least 14, the prosecution could ask for a discretionary waiver to have the case moved to adult court. It is called a discretionary waiver because the court can decide whether or not to move the case.
Presumptive Waiver
In certain situations, the court automatically presumes that a juvenile defendant should be tried in adult court. These situations are as follows:
- A child 14 years or older is accused of a felony involving a deadly weapon.
- A child 15 years or older is accused of attempted murder, solicitation of murder, or manslaughter.
- A child 15 years or older is charged with rape, aggravated assault, kidnapping, robbery, or conspiracy to commit one of those crimes.
The McKenzie Law Firm, P.C. has extensive resources we can use to keep your child’s case out of adult court, no matter the charge or the child’s age.
The McKenzie Law Firm, P.C. Can Help You Protect Your Child’s Future
There is more at stake in your child’s case than a fine or juvenile detention. A criminal conviction can create a ripple effect that reverberates for the rest of your child’s life.
A juvenile criminal conviction may interfere with any or all of the following:
- Getting into college
- Taking out a student loan
- Joining the military
- Obtaining a driver’s license
- Finding a job
- Renting an apartment
Trust Your Child’s Defense to a Former Prosecutor
With so much at stake for your child’s future, why not go with a lawyer who has been on the other side and knows what to expect from the prosecution? Our lead attorney, David McKenzie, worked as a prosecutor for years. He understands how the other side works and can anticipate any tactics they might use against your child.
To find out more about McKenzie Law Firm, P.C. and how we can help your child move past this difficult situation, call us today at 610-680-7842.
See How a Juvenile Criminal Defense Lawyer in Harleysville Can Help Your Child, Call 610-680-7842
Attorney David McKenzie and the McKenzie Law Firm, P.C. want to protect your child’s future by helping them get past their juvenile criminal charge. We have extensive resources and a successful track record, and we want to put them to use for your family. For a free case evaluation, call us at 610-680-7842.
