What is a juvenile detention hearing in Texas? When juveniles are taken into custody for allegedly violating the law in Texas, they have certain rights that kick in very quickly. One of them is the right to have a juvenile detention hearing within two business days. The purpose of this hearing is to determine whether […]
Violent juvenile crimes in Texas are on the rise, and in Tarrant County, that’s especially true with homicides. In fact, homicides increased 80 percent from 2020 to 2021, the most recent year statistics were available. This increase in violent juvenile offenses has led to a need for experienced, highly-skilled juvenile defense attorneys. Fortunately, the law […]
Juvenile First Offender Program in Texas Texas Family Code Sec. 52.031 allows juvenile boards across the state to establish first offender programs for the referral and disposition of children aged 10 to 16 taken into custody or accused before the filing of a criminal charge of: Conduct indicating a need for supervision; A Class C […]
What information is in a Texas juvenile record? Texas juvenile records contain documentation filed during a youth’s time in the juvenile justice system. These records pertain to juvenile offenders and proceedings brought under the Juvenile Justice Code. They do not include names of child witnesses or victims, records from municipal or JP courts, or records […]
What is juvenile certification in Texas? In Texas, juveniles can be certified to stand trial as an adult if they are accused of serious crimes, such as murder or aggravated sexual assault. The decision to seek certification is up to the juvenile prosecutor handling the case and must be granted by a juvenile judge after […]
Does my child need a juvenile attorney in Texas? If your child has been taken into custody and is charged with an offense, he or she must be represented by a juvenile attorney. That is the law. Whether you hire the attorney – or one is appointed by the court – will depend on your […]
Are Texas juvenile hearings open to the public? It depends on the age of the child. If the child is 14 or older, Texas juvenile hearings are generally open to the public. Under Sec. 54.08 of the Texas Family code, however, hearings are closed to the public if the child is under the age of […]
Tarrant County’s Most Common Juvenile Crimes In 2021, juvenile offenses in Tarrant County increased slightly from the previous year, but overall the number of offenses referred by police agencies to the juvenile department has decreased over the past five years. Tarrant County Juvenile Services reported 2,534 formal referrals in 2021. In this post, Varghese Summersett […]
When Can Police Interrogate a Minor? Have you ever wondered when the police or even CPS can interrogate a minor in Texas? Let’s face it. Kids don’t always make the best choices and, sometimes, they get caught up in bad situations. Maybe they witnessed a crime or are suspected of committing one themselves. So what […]
