Juvenile law governs cases involving defendants aged 10 to 17. The overall goal of juvenile law is to rehabilitate children rather than punish criminals. While the punishments in juvenile law may still be severe, they are not generally as harsh as those punishments enacted on adults.

If a juvenile commits a particularly heinous crime, such as felonies involving deadly weapons, a juvenile may be tried as an adult. In these cases, the court will decide whether or not to try the juvenile as an adult at a transfer hearing. Whether or not the juvenile is transferred depends upon a number of factors, including the seriousness of the crime, the juvenile's previous criminal record, and the predicted success of rehabilitation.

In general, the juvenile court system moves much more quickly than the criminal court system, so it is imperative that you hire experienced Texas defense attorneys as quickly as possible if you or a family member will be appearing in juvenile court.

Juveniles have rights that are almost identical to the rights of adult criminals. A juvenile must be read his or her rights, he or she has a right to an attorney that may be present during an interrogation, and he or she has a right to know the charges of the case. Furthermore, a juvenile cannot be forced to self-incriminate, he or she may confront his accuser, he or she may appeal the court's decision, and he or she has the right to a jury trial.

Like adults, a juvenile does not have to submit to a search unless he or she is under arrest. You may politely decline a search unless the officer presents a search warrant or arrests you. If you are taken under arrest, do not resist, but make sure you do not discuss your case or make any statements without first talking to your parents and your attorney.  If you need an attorney to represent you contact the Dallas defense attorneys at Grossman Law Offices.

Related articles:
Dallas misdemeanor cases
Probation eligibility

Questions answered in this article:
What is the goal of juvenile law?
What rights does a juvenile have?