In Florida, the juvenile court system is different than the criminal court system. The purpose of the juvenile court system is to rehabilitate. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to outside influences and lapses in judgment.

About Juvenile Court

Juvenile court is divided into delinquency (when a "child" is charged with a delinquent act) and dependency (when there is concern of abuse, abandonment, or neglect).

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A juvenile is anyone under the age of 18 who has committed a criminal offense. Charges in juvenile court can be misdemeanors or felonies. Trials in juvenile court are referred to as Adjudicatory Hearings and are bench trials, meaning there is no jury and a judge presides as the fact-finder. 

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Sentences in juvenile court are generally rehabilitative, rather than punitive. For this reason, most parents prefer to keep the "child's" case in the juvenile court system. 

Contact Us

Our firm has experience handling juvenile court cases. If your child has been charged with juvenile delinquency, contact us to schedule an initial consultation.