Being charged with a crime as a juvenile can have a significant impact on your child’s future. Whether or not your child committed the crime for which he or she is accused, you should retain an experienced criminal defense attorney to aggressively defend your child and protect his or her rights.
Our Des Moines, Iowa juvenile delinquency defense attorneys understand your desire to do what is in the best interest of your child. In our experience, it is never in the best interest of the child to be convicted of a crime. Juvenile delinquency is unique because minor’s can be charged as adults in certain situations, and will most likely automatically be charged as adults if they are within 2 years of being an adult and charged with a violent crime or a weapons offense.
Criminal Prosecution of a Minor
In Iowa, you must retain an attorney if your child is charged with a crime. You should do this as soon as possible, to ensure your child’s rights are protected. Neither you, nor your child should discuss the matter with the police, teachers, or anyone else, until after you have sought counsel from a criminal defense attorney who has experience with juvenile delinquency crimes. Anything you say CAN and WILL be used against you or your child.
Know your rights. exercise your rights. preserve your freedom.
At Gourley, Rehkemper & Lindholm, we understand juvenile delinquency laws. We can fight attempts to have your child tried as an adult, where the consequences of a conviction can have far more lasting effects on your child’s future. If your child is a minor, and is being charged as an adult, or has a hearing scheduled to determine if he or she can be tried as an adult, you should contact us immediately.
Des moines juvenile delinquency court lawyer
We have been successful in having minors tried in juvenile court, where they belong. Some of the more common crimes we see juveniles charged with today include the following:
- Underage drinking: including drinking and driving (DUI-OWI)
- Drug crimes: including possession and drug trafficking
- Theft crimes: including shoplifting, car jacking or auto theft, and stealing
- Assaults: including sexual assault, bar fights, and assaults with weapons
