Juvenile Charges in New Jersey

If your child is charged with a criminal offense or even arrested and detained, ensuring their rights are protected is extremely important. Juvenile charges in New Jersey are serious and should be handled as such.

Here’s what you need to know:

The offense must be directed to the Family Division of the Superior Court as it has jurisdiction to adjudicate juvenile charges.
The core objectives of the Juvenile Justice Commission is to ensure public safety, rehabilitate the juvenile and hold them accountable for their actions.
Every juvenile must be represented by an attorney when they appear in court.
- A public defender will be provided if you qualify due to limited financial resources.
- You can retain a private lawyer to defend your child.
- There is no way for a parent to waive the juvenile’s absolute right to legal counsel or for anyone other than a licensed attorney to represent the child.
The punishment imposed in the juvenile court system is significantly less severe than in adult proceedings:
- First Degree Offense max incarceration for a juvenile is 4 years, and for an adult, it is 10-20 years.
- Second Degree Offense max incarceration for a juvenile is 3 years, and for an adult it is 5-10 years.
- Third Degree Offense max incarceration for a juvenile is 2 years, and for an adult, it is up to 5 years.
- Fourth Degree Offense max for a juvenile is 1 year, and for an adult, it is up to 18 months.

Protect Your Children

From juvenile assault and threat crimes, school charges or school offenses, juvenile drug possession, juvenile criminal arrests, juvenile sex crimes, juvenile theft charges, juvenile weapon possession, and juvenile controlled dangerous substance (CDS) distribution, making sure your child has the best representation will help navigate the New Jersey criminal justice system and protect their future. Therefore, if your loved one is facing juvenile charges in New Jersey, please call me.