Detroit & Michigan Juvenile Defense Lawyer
If you are a minor and have been arrested or you are a juvenile charged with a crime, you could be facing severe penalties or, depending on the crime, even be tried as an adult. You need an experienced and aggressive Juvenile Defense Attorney to fight for your rights

As a Juvenile Charged with a Crime, You have many Rights and Options
The Juvenile Justice system is unlike the Criminal System faced by adults who commit crimes and in general, juvenile proceedings are not criminal in nature. Except for certain exceptions, the goal is rehabilitation, not punishment.

Jurisdiction over a juvenile applies to those under the age of 17 where there has been a violation of a law or other juvenile offenses such as home or school truancy or incorrigibility. Proceedings must be initiated before the 18th birthday and jurisdiction usually ends when the juvenile turns 18, however, under certain circumstances the court may retain jurisdiction until age 21.

Juvenile proceedings are initiated though a petition. Upon its issuance, a preliminary hearing must be held within 14 days to determine whether there is probable cause to proceed. If the juvenile is detained, it must be held within 24 hours. If probable cause is found, a pretrial date will be scheduled. At the pretrial, the juvenile has the option to (1) plead guilty or no contest; (2) set the matter for trial in front of a referee, a judge, or judge and jury; or (3) adjourn for further resolution, discovery, or a motion hearing.

The Consent Docket
Depending on the offense, the court may determine that the best interests of the juvenile and the public will be served by placing the juvenile on the consent docket. This can be done at any stage of the proceedings. There is no formal plea entered when a juvenile and his parents accept that he or she be placed on the consent calendar. The juvenile will have certain terms that must be completed. If the terms are completed satisfactorily within the time frame agreed upon, the court must close the case and may destroy all records of the proceeding. Fingerprinting may not be ordered if the youth is placed on the consent calendar and if fingerprints have already been taken, the court must order that they be returned. If the juvenile does not complete the terms of the agreement or commits another offense, the court may authorize the petition to the formal calendar and the case will proceed to trail or a plea.

Other Potential remedies: