Juvenile Crimes

Corpus Christi Juvenile Defense Attorney

Even the finest young people can make mistakes and poor decisions. If the police arrest your teenager in Nueces County, you must retain an attorney immediately. An experienced Corpus Christi juvenile defense attorney can step between your child and an aggressive Texas prosecutor. At Barrett Legal PLLC, we fight vigorously and effectively for teenagers facing criminal charges in the Corpus Christi area.

Every year, Texas law enforcement agencies place more than 40,000 young people under arrest. Youngsters in the Texas juvenile justice system deserve a lawyer who can provide an aggressive, uncompromising defense. At Barrett Legal PLLC, we take juvenile defense seriously because we know what’s at stake: your child’s future.

A juvenile case, unlike many adult criminal cases, can move rapidly through the Texas legal system, so parents must retain a defense lawyer immediately. If your child is accused of a crime, you can’t give a prosecutor any advantages. If your child is in legal trouble, today or in the future, promptly call Barrett Legal PLLC at 361-542-4295 to schedule a meeting with a Corpus Christi juvenile defense lawyer.

Your Legal and Parental Rights

In all fifty states, the goals of the juvenile justice system include maintaining public safety, rehabilitating youthful offenders, addressing their treatment needs, and reintegrating troubled young people back into their communities. But when a teen enters the Texas juvenile justice system, parents may feel sidelined by prosecutors and the police.

When a child is taken into police custody, Texas parents have specific legal rights and responsibilities. When Texas law enforcement officers arrest a minor, they must immediately notify the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian and state the reason for the arrest. A parent’s rights in a juvenile case include:

  1. The right to receive prompt notification that your child has been arrested.
  2. The right to see and speak with your child in juvenile detention.
  3. The right to accompany your child to juvenile court hearings.
  4. The right to speak directly to the judge during certain proceedings.

Parental duties also apply. Texas judges expect parents to appear in court with their children and to help their children comply with court orders. Helping your teenager adhere to the terms of probation fulfills your legal responsibility and helps to secure a positive outcome in your child’s case.

Teens and Police Interrogations

Interrogations by Texas police officers can intimidate full-grown adults. Intimidated young people frequently make inaccurate statements or falsely confess to criminal acts they did not commit. Parents in Texas can help their teenagers avoid these traps by ensuring that they learn their constitutional rights before any legal trouble begins.

Texas law sets strict standards for the admissibility of statements made by juvenile suspects, and law enforcement personnel cannot legally force a child to answer questions. Parents should invoke the right to counsel immediately. A Corpus Christi juvenile defense attorney at Barrett Legal PLLC can challenge the admissibility of any self-incriminating statements your child has made.

Adult courts in this state focus on punishment, whereas the Texas juvenile justice system emphasizes rehabilitation and accountability, helping teens get on the right track and stay safe. Juvenile legal proceedings entail several steps.

The Juvenile Justice Process in Nueces County

When law enforcement officers arrest a juvenile in Nueces County, they take the youth to the Nueces County Juvenile Justice Center on Gollihar Road. An intake officer reviews the criminal allegation, the juvenile’s criminal history, and the circumstances of the arrest to determine whether to release the child to parents or order temporary juvenile detention.

If the child is held in custody, a detention hearing must be held no later than the second working day after the arrest. For minor or first-time juvenile charges, prosecutors may refer the youth to a diversion program or informal adjustment. These allow young offenders to complete classes or community service without formal court proceedings.

But if a prosecutor files a formal petition alleging delinquent conduct, two hearings may be required: an adjudication hearing, in which the state must prove the child is guilty of the alleged crime, and a disposition hearing, in which the court determines probation conditions or facility placement.

A Corpus Christi juvenile defense lawyer at Barrett Legal PLLC can use every appropriate legal tool to ensure that your child is treated fairly and justly by the legal system.

Common Juvenile Offenses

Teens make poor choices at times, but a single juvenile indiscretion should never be allowed to ruin a young person’s future. At Barrett Legal PLLC, we develop uncompromising defense strategies for young people facing common juvenile charges in Nueces County. We defend juvenile clients in cases that involve:

  1. Truancy 
  2. Assaults and fights in public spaces
  3. Vandalism, burglary, and theft, including shoplifting
  4. Drug crimes, including possession of marijuana
  5. DUI and underage drinking

Many juvenile criminal charges are based on false accusations or mistaken identity. Your child may resemble someone who perpetrated a crime or may simply have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. If your youngster is innocent, a juvenile defense attorney can explain to the prosecutor and judge what actually happened.

But even when a child may be guilty of a criminal offense, that young person has certain legal rights that must be protected. A juvenile defense attorney at Barrett Legal PLLC can interview witnesses, review surveillance footage, and present a case to the court to reduce or dismiss any criminal charges.

Probation vs. TJJD Commitment

When a Texas juvenile court finds a minor delinquent at an adjudication hearing, it determines the penalties at the disposition hearing. A juvenile conviction (called an adjudication in Texas) entails negative consequences for a young person’s daily life. If the minor is ordered to serve juvenile probation under community supervision, the conditions usually require:

  1. A mandatory nightly curfew
  2. Electronic monitoring or GPS ankle tracking
  3. Loss or suspension of driving privileges
  4. Unannounced drug testing and regular visits with a juvenile probation officer
  5. Strict travel restrictions outside Nueces County

For serious crimes or repeat offenses, the court may commit a young person to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD). TJJD manages secure state juvenile detention facilities. When considering whether a juvenile should be committed to a TJJD facility, a judge will take into account the juvenile’s delinquency record, school attendance and grades, employment, alcohol or drug use, history of mental health, and the stability of the parent or parents and their ability to control or discipline the teenager.

For the most egregious offenses, a prosecutor can seek to transfer a juvenile to the adult court system, exposing a teenager to the possibility of a prison sentence. The attorneys at Barrett Legal PLLC fight against adult certification. We strive to keep a child’s case in the juvenile system and to focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment.

Protecting Your Child’s Future

Some parents presume that a juvenile criminal record automatically disappears when a teenager turns 18. That presumption is wrong. Unless you take legal action, a juvenile record can follow a young person into adulthood and block access to important opportunities.

An adjudication record can prevent a young person from gaining admission to certain universities, qualifying for student financial aid, joining the military, or landing certain jobs. Employers and university admissions officers in all fifty states routinely conduct background checks.

In most cases, Texas state law allows a judge to seal juvenile records. Once a judge seals the record of a juvenile case, the law treats the offense as if it never occurred, allowing your child to state truthfully on college and job applications that no criminal history exists.

When we represent juvenile clients, the attorneys at Barrett Legal PLLC prepare defense strategies with the goal of keeping your child’s record clean. We negotiate for diversion programs, dismissal of charges, and the sealing of juvenile records, so a child enters adulthood without a criminal history.

Why Families Choose Barrett Legal PLLC

Barrett Legal PLLC proudly represents families across Texas, with offices in Corpus Christi, Abilene, Beeville, Victoria, Southlake, and Perryton. If your teenager faces legal trouble, we can fight aggressively to defend your child’s rights, interests, and future.

The attorneys at Barrett Legal PLLC offer decades of legal experience, familiarity with the local courts, and a commitment to standing up for young people. When you retain one of our defense attorneys for your child, that attorney can provide clear, direct legal guidance at every stage of the process.

Nothing matters more than your child’s future and freedom. Barrett Legal PLLC can ensure your child receives fair treatment under Texas law. When your child faces detention because of criminal allegations, our defense team can fight aggressively and effectively for the second chance a young person deserves.

A second chance and a little forgiveness are all that most young people need. Don’t let a single mistake or a false allegation ruin your child’s future. If your child is in legal trouble in the Corpus Christi area, schedule a meeting with an experienced juvenile defense lawyer immediately by calling Barrett Legal PLLC at 361-542-4295.