Being young means making mistakes. Sometimes the consequences of those mistakes can be life changing. At Sanders and Nettles, LLC, we are South Carolina juvenile defense attorneys who understand that no two juvenile cases are identical. Each juvenile crimes case deserves time and special attention so that a mistake does not have to haunt a child for a lifetime.
South Carolina Juvenile Crimes
Juvenile crimes in South Carolina are handled by the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ). When a law enforcement officer or a concerned citizen files a complaint about a juvenile offender, a DJJ intake worker screens the complaint and, if necessary, recommends further action to a DJJ solicitor.
The DJJ will conduct a predisposition investigation in order to determine the appropriate action to take in the juvenile crimes case. If the intake worker and solicitor feel that the interests of the community would be best served without taking the case to court, the juvenile offender is diverted into a series of alternative corrective programs, such as after school and mentoring programs.
However, should the solicitor decide the juvenile complaint has enough merit, he or she will recommend trial. Juvenile crimes cases are heard before the South Carolina family court system, a network of limited jurisdiction trial courts. Although the juvenile justice system can review cases for teenagers under the age of seventeen, South Carolina does reserve the right to try certain offenders as adults depending on the seriousness of the offense and the maturity level of those involved in the crime.
Waiting for the decision of a family court judge is a frightening time of uncertainty for everyone involved in a South Carolina juvenile crimes case. You do not have to face this time of crisis alone.
Experienced South Carolina Juvenile Crimes Lawyers
Please contact the Columbia juvenile law offices of Sanders and Nettles, LLC, at 803.779.9966 and discuss your case. We are highly skilled Columbia SC juvenile defense attorneys, with experience that you can trust.
If you or a loved one is in need of legal advice or representation in a South Carolina juvenile crimes case and live on the coast, please call our law offices in Columbia, SC, at 803.779.9966.