San Benito Juvenile Defense Attorney
Also Serving Minors & Parents throughout Brownsville
Juveniles can make mistakes. Those under the age of 18 often lack the maturity and foresight of adults and can be subject to heavy peer pressure at a time when it is extremely significant to them. These factors can lead to the commission of minor and even major crimes. If you are a parent in or around Brownsville whose son or daughter has been arrested for a criminal offense, understanding your legal rights and those of your child is vitally important. To ensure your loved one has a good defense, seek the help of our San Benito juvenile defense attorney at Gustavo D. Elizondo, III Attorney at Law.
Is your son or daughter facing juvenile criminal charges? Reach out to our San Benito juvenile defense attorney at (956) 275-9191 or contact us online to discuss your situation.
Juvenile Crimes in Texas
Under the Texas juvenile justice system, a juvenile is someone between the ages of 10 and 17 who has committed an offense that could lead to criminal penalties if he or she were an adult. The type of offense may be classified as “delinquent conduct” or as “conduct in need of supervision,” which is less serious in terms of the law.
Juveniles can commit the same crimes as adults, ranging from low-level misdemeanors to first-degree felonies. Thus, penalties for criminal behavior can include confinement as well as fines, probation, and court-ordered programs designed to rehabilitate the offender.
Our San Benito juvenile defense attorney will work diligently on behalf of your child to protect his or her legal rights, freedom, and future.
Our San Benito juvenile defense lawyer defends the following offenses:
- Underage drinking, using a fake ID
- Truancy or running away from home
- Shoplifting
- Other theft crimes
- Drug possession
- Driving while intoxicated from alcohol and/or drugs
- Gang-related crimes
- Assault and aggravated assault
- Criminal trespass
- Burglary
- Sexting and other sexual-related crimes
- Hit and run
- Manslaughter
- Murder
Obtaining the Best Possible Outcome For Minors
Where a minor has been charged with some type of delinquent conduct, the juvenile court has three options for disposition: placing the juvenile on probation, sending the juvenile to the Juvenile Justice Department with an indeterminate sentence (which means confinement for an indefinite time period), or doing so with a determinate sentence (which means confinement for a specific time period, such as for three years).
When Will a Child Be Tried as an Adult in Texas?
Generally, children cannot be tried as adults in Texas. However, there are exceptions to this rule. If a child is 14 years or older and is accused of committing a violent crime such as murder, aggravated assault, or sexual assault, they may be tried as an adult depending on the circumstances of their case. In addition, if a child is 16 years or older and is accused of committing certain drug offenses, they can also be tried as adults.
In determining whether to try a juvenile offender as an adult, judges in Texas consider factors such as the severity of the crime alleged and the maturity level of the individual involved. Additionally, most juvenile offenders facing certain types of criminal charges must first go through a process known as “transfer,” which is the court’s decision to move a case from juvenile to adult court.
If a juvenile offender is ultimately tried as an adult in Texas, they may face stiffer penalties and sentencing than if they had been tried as a juvenile. A conviction in adult court can carry longer prison sentences and affect a defendant’s ability to obtain employment and other opportunities after release.
Why You Need Gustavo D. Elizondo, III Attorney at Law
To help ensure that your child is aggressively defended in juvenile court for the best possible outcome, you need an attorney who understands the juvenile justice system and has experience in criminal defense.
Call our San Benito juvenile defense lawyer at (956) 275-9191 for competent and caring legal assistance today.
