If your son or daughter is arrested for a crime and is going to be tried in the Arizona juvenile court system, there are two things you must do immediately to ensure that your child’s rights are protected.
1. Retain a juvenile defense attorney.
Don’t be fooled by police officers telling you and your family, “Don’t worry you don’t need a lawyer. We just want to talk to your child and have him (or her) be honest and be truthful and tell us everything that happened.”
The truth is anything your child says can and will be used against them in juvenile court proceedings. Getting an experienced Arizona juvenile defense lawyer early on can sometimes lead to the case being dismissed, rejected for filing, or resolved informally.
2. Don’t talk to the police without your attorney present.
When you allow your child to speak to the police without an attorney present, the prosecution is able to use whatever is said in the conversation in the criminal charges being filed against your child. An attorney present will help ensure that your interests are protected and that you aren’t answering questions you don’t need to.
In addition to these two things, try gathering documents to help show your child in the best light. These documents include positive achievements, report cards and reference letters. These types of materials can be very useful in a juvenile defense case. Do not write any letters to the judge or submit any documents to the judge without consulting with your defense lawyer. Your lawyer is in the best position to know whether it is appropriate to do so.
Ready to have your case handled by a Arizona juvenile defense attorney who knows and understands?
Call 480-245-5550 to schedule your free anytime, anywhere consultation with Arizona juvenile defense attorney Charlie Naegle. When you hire the Naegle & Crider Criminal Defense Attorneys, you work directly with Charlie Naegle. For your convenience, you may also use our consultation request form and we will contact you as soon as possible.