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What Types Of Juvenile Criminal Cases Do You Handle?


Our firm handles all types of juvenile cases, including both criminal offenses and traffic offenses. Legally, a minor is anyone under the age of 18. We represent juveniles in felony and misdemeanor cases like drug possessions, gun cases, juvenile robbery, armed robbery, burglary, DUI, violence cases, and financial crimes.

What Is The Age For A Juvenile Court Case In Illinois?

In Illinois, anyone under 18 is considered a juvenile. The law has changed on that recently. It used to be that anyone under 17 was a juvenile, but they raised the age. There are, however, some special rules that would allow a prosecutor to petition the court to remove a case from juvenile court and transfer it to adult court. It’s somewhat difficult for them to do this and it is generally reserved for the most serious and violent crimes, like armed robbery, criminal sexual assault, or murder.

What Is The Arrest Procedure For Juveniles In Illinois?

There are a few ways that the arrest of a juvenile can be handled. It’s generally in the discretion of the police department. One way is after a juvenile has been charged, the minor would be released to his or her parent or guardian and then they are notified of a court date after that. Other times, the police may keep the juvenile and transfer them directly to court for a detention hearing. Regardless of how the arrest is handled, it’s always up to the judge to decide whether or not they are going to lock the minor up and keep them in custody or release them to the parents while the case is pending. Some counties also allow electronic home monitoring, sometimes called house arrest.

What Is The Juvenile Justice Procedure As Far As Courts Are Concerned?

The procedure for juvenile court is similar to adult court with a couple of exceptions. Both adult and juvenile courts require the exchange of discovery. Discovery is all the evidence in a case and the prosecution is required to disclose that to the defense. One difference is that juvenile cases generally can only have a bench trial, not a jury trial. A bench trial is a trial where only a judge listens to the evidence and decides whether the individual is guilty or not guilty. There are a couple of exceptions for very serious cases. For the most part, the biggest difference between adult and the juvenile court is that a juvenile cannot have a jury trial.

The other big difference is that an adult court is a public court. This means that anybody can walk into a courtroom and listen to a trial. In juvenile court, everything is in secret. It’s a private courtroom. Anyone else who has court on that particular date has to wait outside the courtroom so that nobody can hear what’s going on. The files are not available to the public; they are sealed in the clerk’s office.

For more information on Juvenile Cases Handled In Illinois, a free initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (708) 218-0947 today.

Donald N. Macneil, Esq.

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