Juvenile Law
Juvenile Law Attorneys
When people think of Juvenile Court, they often think of Juvenile delinquency issues and the detention center. Although Juvenile Court does include Juvenile Delinquency issues, there are many kinds of cases heard in Juvenile Court that are not related to delinquency at all. We have handled most all of the various kinds of cases heard in Juvenile Courts for many years and are ready to serve you with any of your Juvenile Court issues in the following areas:
Juvenile Delinquency Allegations
These are non-criminal filings brought against individuals under the age of 18 for acts that would have been charged criminally if they were adults at the time of the offense or individuals under the age of 21 who allegedly committed such acts when they were under the age of 18.
These kinds of charges are equivalent to adult criminal charges in many ways, such as filings, evidence, levels of offense, possibility of being held in custody, etc., but are very different from criminal charges in that they are not filed under the criminal code and a different set of rights and potential consequences are in place.
These allegations range from driving citations to filings that are serious enough that the state can move that the minor be charged as an adult in the court of common pleas. We handle everything from disorderly conduct to rape, armed robbery, and murder.
For a more exhaustive list of Juvenile Delinquency cases we handle, see the information outlined on the “Criminal Law” page of this web site.
Private Custody Cases
When married couples file for divorce, they file in the Domestic Relations Court.
When unwed parents part ways, they file for custody issues of their children in Juvenile
Court. The process and laws governing these cases are different from one another.
Child Support Cases
When married couples separate, child support is under the jurisdiction of the Domestic Relations Court. When unwed parents separate or file for custody determinations, Juvenile Court has jurisdiction. If child support is ordered and the order is not followed, a contempt of court can be filed and the party in contempt can be fined
and jailed.
Contempt Allegations
Contempt Allegations: When the Juvenile Court has issued court orders and a party chooses not to follow the orders that are generated, the other party has the right to suggest to the court that there is a contempt issue. The court can remedy that contempt by ordering fines, confinement, or removing certain parenting rights granted in previous court orders. Contempt can be filed in Child Support cases, Custody cases, Children Services cases, Delinquency Proceedings, and even Truancy matters.
Abuse, Neglect and Dependency Cases
Abuse, Neglect and Dependency Cases: When the county Children Services Agency files a complaint regarding the welfare of a child, the Children Services Agency can file the allegations in court as abuse, neglect, dependency, or any combination of the three. The complaint and allegation prompts the court to schedule an emergency hearing within 24 hours of serving the parents with the complaint.
It is imperative to have an attorney at this first hearing in order to protect the rights of the parents from the time they start the case until resolution. If there is inadequate representation in the early stages of the case, ground may be lost that simply cannot be recovered.
Children Services is represented by the County Prosecutor’s Office, the child is represented by an Attorney/Guardian ad Litem, and each of the parents have the right to counsel as well. (We usually represent parents in cases such as this.)
Finally, many people mistakenly believe that the issues in Juvenile Court are less significant or easier to deal with than Domestic Relations Court, Probate Court, or Criminal Court. The truth is that Juvenile Court has its own set of statutory standards and case law.
The local rules can be confusing and difficult to navigate because they differ from county to county. Accomplished Criminal Law attorneys often do not feel comfortable handling difficult issues in the Juvenile Court system. Having an attorney that is experienced in this area of the law is indispensable to achieving a good result for your case.
The Juvenile Law experience in our firm is vast, including all of the following: serving as President of the Butler County Bar Association, a former Chair of the Juvenile Law Committee of the Butler County Bar Association, presenting and hosting multiple continuing education seminars for training other attorneys in this area of the law, negotiating with the county for compensation standards for our court appointed peers in Juvenile Court, and combined litigation experience of over 25 years in the Juvenile Courts of Ohio.