The severity of a juvenile crime can result in your child being transferred to adult court. At the Law Offices of Valencia, Ippolito & Bowman, our lawyers take a proactive approach in stopping transfers immediately. Far too much is at stake for a juvenile crime to be elevated to an adult offense; punishments are harsher and the negative impact on a minor is more significant.
Our law firm has won numerous awards, including being named Criminal Defense Firm of the Year by San Jose Magazine. Attorney Pat Valencia is also an award-winning attorney in the area of juvenile criminal defense.
In the state of California, juveniles can be sent to an adult court if either of the following occurs:
- Due to the seriousness of the alleged offense, the district attorney files directly in adult court.
- A fitness hearing is held with the district attorney, who then requests a judge to consider a child being sent to adult court because of the severity of the criminal charges.
Judges take into account various factors required by California law before making a determination as to where a juvenile criminal case will be heard. Those include:
- Seriousness of the offenses committed by the juvenile
- Criminal "sophistication" of the juvenile
- Chances of rehabilitation before juvenile court jurisdiction expires
- Prior criminal history
- Previous attempts by juvenile courts to rehabilitate
Juvenile court focuses on the best interest of the accused. The goal is rehabilitation, not punishment. The objective of adult courts is to punish, sometimes severely.
Free Consultation With a San Jose Juvenile Criminal Defense Attorney
When you need the help of a California criminal defense attorney, call our law firm at 877-7NO-JAIL or send us an e-mail. We offer payment plans, credit card payments and evening or weekend consultations. Se habla español.
