Children As Young As 14 Can Be Tried As Adults In The State Of California

Juvenile crimes are handled differently than adult crimes in the California justice system. In general, when a juvenile commits a minor criminal offense they can be released into the custody of their parents until their court date. In cases where the criminal act is of a serious or violent nature, the offending juvenile will commonly be placed in a juvenile detention center rather than the local jail or a state prison

There are circumstances, however, wherein a child as young as 14 could be tried as an adult in the state of California. If a minor between the ages of 14 and 18 committed first degree murder, the prosecution would most likely petition to try them as an adult. If a juvenile court judge finds the minor unfit for rehabilitation in the juvenile detention system, they can order the minor stand trial as an adult. Should the minor have committed a number of prior aggravated assault offenses then he/she can also be tried as an adult.

We understand that as a parent, it is your natural instinct to do whatever you can to protect your child from wrongful prosecution and conviction. You do not want to take chances when it comes to your child's defense. Their future and freedom depends on an aggressive, effective criminal defense. Our firm has more than 13 years experience representing clients in all manner of criminal defense cases. In addition, our lead attorney has former experience as a Ventura County Deputy District Attorney so we know exactly what the prosecution will need to present in order to press charges and obtain a conviction. This experience and knowledge works in our clients' favor as it allows us a unique insight into preparing cases and building a strong defense.

If you have a minor child between the ages of 14 and 18, who has been arrested for a juvenile crime or any other kind of criminal offense, contact a Ventura criminal defense lawyer at Ridley Defense today. We are here to help you fight for your child's future.