Recent Posts in Juvenile Charges Category

A Waterford Township teen faces legal action after allegedly violating a personal protection order and assaulting his girlfriend.

The 16-year-old was arrested last Wednesday, but has since been released to his mother.  He is currently under house arrest at his mother’s house, during which he is not allowed to use a phone, go on the Internet, or have friends come over.

The teen was originally arrested in December for assaulting his girlfriend outside of a hockey facility.  According to a report, the teens where sitting inside a vehicle when they began arguing over a text message the boy received.  It is reported that the boy struck the girl on the right side of her face, causing the left side of her forehead to hit the window.  Police say the boy also struck the girl in the upper left arm. All in all, a medical report shows the girl sustained injuries to her right eye, face, lip, and upper arm. 

A protection order was eventually served to the teen, who then violated the order by having a friend send the girl text messages.  Although the texts were not dangerous or threatening—the boy wanted to know if the girl hated him, if they could talk, and if she wanted him to quit the hockey team—a protection order prohibits contact of any kind between the two.

A pre-trial is scheduled for January 28 before Oakland County Circuit Court Family Division Judge Joan Young.

If your child has been arrested for a crime in Oakland County or Wayne County, it is important to consult an experienced juvenile defense lawyer right away. 

When a minor is arrested for a crime, not only does he or she stand to face numerous legal penalties, but his or her future is also at stake.  If the minor is still in school, a criminal arrest could affect their chances of graduating, getting into college, or finding a good job.  A minor may also be prohibited from participating in extracurricular actives, and could easily get suspended or expelled from school.   And while these may seem minor in comparison to jail or probation, the effect of not getting into college or getting expelled from school could have far reaching consequences on the minor's future.

Juvenile Court System

The system governing juvenile cases is different from the system governing adult criminal cases.  Unlike state or federal court, the juvenile court system focuses more on rehabilitation and counseling.  Rather than simply punishing a juvenile defendant, it is believed that by addressing the minor’s behavior through counseling, and providing him or her with information, education, and treatment, the minor will be less likely to commit another crime in the future.

This is not to say that all juvenile cases will be treated with leniency.  Juvenile court judges are perfectly capable of imposing strict penalties.  And in the most serious cases, the prosecutors can choose to try a minor as an adult, which means he or she will face the same penalties that an adult would face in a similar case.

A study conducted by the University of Michigan for the federal National Institute on Drug Abuse found that seven of the 10 drugs abused most by high school seniors are prescription or over-the-counter drugs.  Many of these drugs were acquired by the teens’ friends or relatives, but some were purchased at local drug stores or pharmacies.

Clare Kavin, executive director of the Waismann Method, a drug treatment program, is not surprised by the study’s findings.

“Teens are under the impression that pills are the best way to treat any mental, physical, or social issues,” said Kavin. “They have been taught to take a pill to lose weight, to treat acne, to fall asleep, and to focus better in school.”