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Juvenile Delinquency Attorney

Even children need an experienced, successful defense attorney.

When a juvenile (someone under 17 years old) commits a criminal act, they are usually subject to a "juvenile delinquency proceeding." These proceedings resemble adult criminal court, but Wisconsin law handles these proceedings differently than adult cases. Accordingly, you need a juvenile delinquency attorney who has regularly secured great outcomes for juvenile clients. RACINE DEFENSE has that experience.

Here's what you should know when deciding whether to hire a juvenile defense attorney for your child:

I can challenge waiver into adult court.

Depending on the age, maturity level, and nature or seriousness of the charge, the prosecution (district attorney) could seek to waive or transfer the juvenile and his or her case into adult court. Adult records, unlike juvenile records, are public records, whereas juvenile cases are private, confidential matters. The issue of whether a juvenile should be tried as a juvenile or an adult boils down to: "is waiver into adult court in the best interests of the community and the juvenile?" This complicated question requires an experienced juvenile defense attorney.

Attorney Dimmer has successfully argued against juvenile waiver petitions in many Racine juvenile cases — ranging from burglary to sexual assault of a child. I have worked closely with Lincoln Hills School administration, local counselors, and treatment providers to prepare a strong, intelligent response to the waiver legal question of whether it is in the community and/or the juvenile's interest to have him or her tried as an adult.

Consequently, a parent or family member should hire a juvenile defense attorney like me at RACINE DEFENSE, as I am experienced at preparing and handling waiver hearings that can make the difference between a confidential juvenile record and a public adult record.

Juveniles have a right to trial.

Although juveniles do not have a right to a formal jury trial, juveniles still have a right to a court trial. The prosecution must still prove that the juvenile committed the charged offense beyond a reasonable doubt, so the same benefits to hiring a skilled and experienced trial attorney apply in providing a solid defense.

I recommend a skilled, experienced defense trial attorney like myself and the team at RACINE DEFENSE. To prepare for trial, I will defend my clients as follows:

  • Request, review, and explore all police reports, witness statements, and discovery documents;

  • Challenge unlawfully obtained information, where police have conducted an unreasonable or unlawful search and seizure;

  • Investigate additional witnesses or potential evidence that favors my client;

  • Strengthen my client's ability to testify on his or her behalf through focused questions designed to help a client articulate what he or she recalled from the incident;

  • Design and prepare a trial strategy and defense that meets my client's goals.

I can influence the range of court sentencing/disposition options.

Even if a juvenile remains in juvenile court, the consequences of being found "delinquent" are still very serious. A juvenile court can order a juvenile to any or all of the following punishments:

  • Removal from the home and placement at a residential home;

  • Curfew and community service;

  • Restitution to victims;

  • Counseling and drug testing;

  • Letters of apology and essays;

  • Suspension of driving privileges;

  • Meetings with a social worker;

  • No contact with other students or friends;

  • Correctional Facility Placement (secure detention, Lincoln Hills School).

As an experienced juvenile defense attorney, my job is to recommend and argue for the least-restrictive sanctions, such as in-home supervision, programming, and strict court supervision. Removal from the home can be a painful and very detrimental experience, so hiring me as your juvenile defense attorney can keep your family intact.

Many of the same processes and experiences discussed above—meeting with family members, counselors, school staff, and the client—can help me develop a strong strategy and argument for lesser sanctions or penalties, and at-home placement during the term of any court-ordered supervision.

I can request expungement after a juvenile turns 17.

Even though juvenile records are held confidentially, the court still has authority to expunge or remove a juvenile's case from the record. This great outcome is not automatic. Hiring me as your juvenile defense attorney can best position you to argue for expungement.

The juvenile court will consider any or all of the following when deciding whether to grant expungement:

  • Has the juvenile satisfactorily complied with the conditions of his or her court order and supervision?

  • Will the juvenile benefit from expungement?

  • Will society be harmed by expunging the juvenile's record?

Whether arguing against waiver, a harsh juvenile court order, or for expungement, hiring me as your top-rated juvenile attorney can substantially benefit your child or family member facing juvenile delinquency charges. Call RACINE DEFENSE: 262-977-7720 for a free initial consultation.