Youthful indiscretions used to be a thing. We used to tell stories of dumb things we did as kids, and they had no effect on your adult lives. However, in our modern times, thanks to the Internet and social media, youthful Rockwall indiscretions rarely stay in the past, and there are very real consequences for our children.
Real consequences
Rockwall, Texas, juvenile crimes can affect your child’s life forever. How? Criminal convictions can disqualify them from federal, state, local and private student aid, including student loans. This can make education unattainable for most people. Convictions can also limit employment opportunities, including professional licenses. Even charges can hurt your child’s ability to qualify for these opportunities if they remain on their arrest record or on the Internet.
Public defenders
For federal charges, you will receive a federal public defender. For state charges, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure article 1.051(b) mandates that you receive a state public defender if you are not able to financially afford to employ a lawyer. However, the criminal charge must be an offense higher than a class C misdemeanor. Otherwise, you must find your own Rockwall, Texas, attorney.
Even if you have a public defender, you may not be satisfied with their services. Remember, they have no control over the number of clients they are assigned by the court, nor do they have control over their budget. But, they are nonetheless responsible for representing all of their clients. This often puts them in an untenable position as they simply do not have the time or resources, which is why, even if you have a public defender, you should at least research private attorneys.
How do I pick a Rockwall juvenile crimes defense attorney?
When looking for a Rockwall juvenile crimes defense attorney, the two primary concerns are successful experience locally and experience with the specific juvenile charge locally as well. In other words, look for an attorney who is local. Our local courts and prosecutors have their own rules and policies, and a local attorney will know this and how to navigate those rules and policies to best defend you.
Second, successful experience with the specific juvenile charge locally is also important because juvenile criminal charges can be tricky in both fighting them and mitigating them. This is because convictions have such long-lasting consequences.
