juvenile offenses defense attorney - wisconsin

Juvenile offenses

Attorney John Birdsall and Attorney "TJ" Perlick-Molinari, the criminal defense lawyers at Birdsall Law Offices, S.C. protect the reputations and defend the rights of young people who have been charged with a criminal offense in the state of Wisconsin. Regardless of your situation, the criminal defense lawyers at Birdsall Law Offices, S.C. will defend you. If you are the parent of a child who is facing charges as a juvenile, please act quickly. Please contact the law firm for a free initial consultation.

  Juveniles

A person who is under the age of 18 years is a "juvenile" and an offense committed by an under aged person is called a "juvenile offense". You probably have also heard the terms, "juvenile hall" or "juvenile courts", which are separate courts under the Wisconsin Circuit Court system. Juvenile courts exist to prosecute children for criminal offenses.

  Juvenile offenses in wisconsin

When a juvenile is charged with a crime in the state of Wisconsin, the juvenile court has jurisdiction over the juvenile, but the prosecuting attorney will almost always try to have the case waived into adult court.

  Juveniles tried as adults

Even though a juvenile is legally defined as being under 18 years, a juvenile can be tried in "adult" court.

While there are many reasons that a prosecuting attorney will offer to the court to achieve a waiver of the juvenile court's jurisdiction over a child (see juvenile court jurisdiction waiver), it is almost always in a child's best interest to remain in juvenile court.

  Juvenile laws

A juvenile must abide by the same laws as an adult, with the normal exceptions being those laws that are specifically intended for children such as curfews or drinking laws (Wisconsin's drinking age is 21 years).

  Juvenile Records Expunged

A juvenile's criminal record is not automatically and completely expunged when the convicted child attains adulthood (18 years of age). In fact, a juvenile's record is not open to the public, but is always available to a Wisconsin Circuit Court judge, whether the child is still a child or has attained 18 years of age.