Juvenile Delinquency
Experienced Central Florida, Juvenile Delinquency Attorneys
Many parents mistakenly believe that juvenile criminal records are sealed and that a finding of delinquency will not stay with their child as an adult. Unfortunately, in Florida juvenile court records are not automatically sealed and can be used against your child up to three years after he or she turns 18. For many young adults, this means that their juvenile crime record can come back to haunt them if they should run into the law again while in college.
If your child has been arrested for any juvenile crime such as theft, drug offenses, burglary, battery, or assault, it's important to talk to a lawyer as soon as possible to see what can be done to keep your child from having a permanent criminal record. You should not allow your child to talk to police without seeking the advice of an attorney.
In Florida more and more violent juvenile crimes, such as rape and assault with a deadly weapon, are being tried in adult court if the juvenile is 14 years or older. If your child is tried as an adult, he or she will face adult consequences, including a permanent criminal record and possible jail/prison time. In the case of a sex crime, your child could also be subject to lifelong registration as a sex offender. Don’t jeopardize your child’s future by not hiring the qualified attorneys of Jaeger & Blankner.
Sealing and Expungements
In certain circumstances, your child may be eligible to have his or her record sealed and even expunged depending on the nature of his or her charges as well as their criminal history.A sealed record occurs upon motion by the petitioner to have a charge/offense physically sealed so that a private party/employer/school is prevented from learning of its content. However, in certain circumstances your child's record may be viewed by certain state and law enforcement agencies. Generally, the requirements to be eligible for sealing your record include:
• Having never been previously adjudicated guilty for a past offense and
• Having no subsequent pending arrests
An expunged record results in the physical destruction of your child's file and occurs upon motion by the petitioner. Generally, the requirements for eligibility for expunging your child's record include the following:
• Having never been previously adjudicated guilty for a past offense and
• Having no subsequent pending arrests
During your consultation with a member of our firm, please ask us whether your child's case is a candidate for sealing or expunging his/her record after the case has been resolved. In many circumstances, we will gladly file the necessary paperwork and represent your child during the hearing to have his/her record sealed or expunged WITHOUT ANY EXTRA FEE (just the cost for filing the motion with the clerk’s office).
At the law firm of Jaeger & Blankner, we are ALL Former Prosecutors with more than 90 years of combined experience. Both Joerg F. Jaeger and F. Wesley "Buck" Blankner are Board Certified Criminal Trial Specialists. Our years of experience have earned us a listing in the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent lawyers, as well as an AV® Peer Review Rating.
We exclusively handle criminal cases only and have handled thousands of Juvenile Delinquency cases just like yours. We offer a free initial consultation to discuss what can be done in your loved one's case. In addition, we offer flexible payment plans and will work with you and your financial abilities. To better understand the philosophy of the firm and learn how we will aggressively fight for your child and their case, visit our Firm Overview page. Let us put our experience to work for you. Contact the firm of Jaeger & Blankner now. Se habla Español.
