Juvenile Crimes...
At the Law Offices of John McGowan, P.A., we are zealous advocates of juveniles charged with crimes. As attorneys and as parents, we understand the difficult issues that arise as a result of our children experiencing trouble with the law. The effect that a juvenile record and possible jail time has on your child as well as for your family can be tremendous. Additionally, your child's future educational and career opportunities can be detrimentally effected by their run-in with the law. Our firm has extensive experience navigating the juvenile court system and knows how to assure that the rights of your children are not violated.
At the Law Offices of John McGowan and Associates P.A., we understand that defending juveniles requires an alternative approach to that of defending an adult. Our primary goal is to assure that your child's rights are protected with aggressive defense strategies, while at the same time to work with you, the parents, to asses your child's behavior to make sure that any penalties or punishments assesed by the court help to address his/her behavioral problem before your child becomes a repeat juvenile or adult offender.
What If My Child Has Never Had A Run-In With The Law? If your child is a first-time offender, he/she may be eligible for a number of alternatives to a Juvenile Program, such as Teen Court, or a Diversion Program in which the charges against your child would be dropped. Our firm provides has vast experience in defending both first-time offenders and repeat juvenile offenders.
Different Defense Strategies In Juvenile Cases. Sometimes the defending against criminal charges is only half the battle. In many cases, your child requires the intervention of professionals so that the kind of problematic behavior that placed him/her before the Court does not occur again. There are vast resources available that we can refer your child to such as therapy, counseling, drug treatment or other assistance that will place your child back on the path to recovery and prosperity instead of a path that may lead to a never-ending cycle of criminal activity.
At the Law Offices of John McGowan, P.A., we represent juvenile defendants throughout Florida, including Collier, Lee, Hillsborough, and Pinellas counties as well as many other locations. Please contact us for a free counseltation so that we can help you with your child's case.
MORE General info -->Our criminal defense attorneys have experience with the following types of juvenile crimes:
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Assault |
Shoplifting |
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Battery |
Smoking |
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Curfew Violations |
Theft |
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Drug Offenses |
Traffic Violations |
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Fake ID / False Identification |
Trespassing |
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Gang-Related Activities |
Truancy |
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Property Crimes |
Underage Alcohol Consumption |
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Runaways |
Underage Drinking |
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Sexual Misconduct |
Vandalism |
Warrants...
A bench warrant or capias can be issued in various situations when the Court is trying to get someone to come to court. In some instances you may have missed a court date, and as a result a Judge will probably issue a bench warrant. Depending on the type of case, your ties to the area, and your criminal history, a bench warrant amount can vary from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. If you have a pending case and you missed court, it is crucial that you call our office and schedule an appointment to speak with us. In some instances we may be able to get the bench warrant set aside and get the case set back on the docket. There are other times when you may need to turn yourself in to answer to the charges. In addition, a Judge will often suspend your license for failing to show up in court (called a D-6). That will often lead to a law enforcement officer justifiably pulling you over. That will lead to the discovery of the outstanding warrant.
Each situation is very different and individualized attention is necessary for your individual case.
There are times that you may be facing an arrest capias. An arrest capias occurs in two different situations. In the first scenario, a law enforcement officer fills out a probable cause affidavit or police report that is then forwarded to the State Attorney’s Office. The assistant State Attorney then files an “information” or charging document that alleges that you violated a Florida statute. In the second scenario, the law enforcement goes directly to the Judge and gets an order directing that you be arrested. That order is then entered by the clerk’s office in the county in which you are alleged to have committed the crime. Once that information is entered into the Statewide criminal justice system, any state law enforcement officer can arrest you if they come into contact with you. Call us to see if we can help get your case on the docket.
MORE General info -->