Being arrested for a crime does not necessarily mean you will be convicted. Often we can help you get charges reduced or dismissed, and avoid jail and a criminal record.
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Being arrested for a crime does not necessarily mean you will be convicted. Often we can help you get charges reduced or dismissed, and avoid jail and a criminal record.
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DUI arrests don't always lead to convictions in court. Police officer mistakes, faulty breathalyzers and crime lab errors may get your charges reduced or dismissed. Visit our California DUI page to learn more.
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Call Us NowA disposition hearing in juvenile court is the equivalent to a sentencing hearing in adult court. Your child has been found to have committed a criminal offense or a probation violation, and the judge decides what disciplinary measures will be imposed.
A wide variety of sentencing options are available in juvenile court. The judge formulates a sentence that is tailored to your child to help them become rehabilitated.
In this article, our California criminal defense attorneys discuss:
Judges at California disposition hearings look at the whole picture in determining your child’s sentence, such as:
Judges cannot penalize your child for failing to confess or for refusing to plead guilty. However, they can take into account whether your child committed perjury by testifying untruthfully at their adjudication hearing (trial).
Example: Joey loses his adjudication hearing for drug possession. At the disposition hearing, the judge decides to grant Joey probation because he has no priors and does well in school. As a condition of staying out on probation, Joey must also complete a drug education program or else be remanded to juvenile hall. His parents must pay for the program unless they can show financial hardship.
If the judge has all the information they need to make a sentencing decision at the time of the adjudication hearing (trial), the disposition hearing can take place right after the verdict. Otherwise, the disposition can be postponed in order to:
In any case, if your child is in custody in California, the sentencing hearing must take place within 10 days of the adjudication hearing.2
Possible sentencing options at California disposition hearings include:
Other terms and conditions can involve restitution, community service, mandatory school attendance, curfew restrictions, and substance abuse counseling, among others.
In Los Angeles County, prosecutors are now required to prioritize rehabilitation over punishment. Prosecutors seek the minimum penalties allowable and appropriate in each particular case.3
You might also be interested in reading our related California juvenile justice articles:
You can find help and guidance at the following: