Juvenile Delinquency in Phoenix, Arizona

By Law Offices of Joshua S. Davidson, PLC | Sep 14, 2016
Are you a parent whose son or daughter has recently fell into trouble with the law in the Phoenix area? If so, you probably have a lot of questions and concerns about how the courts will handle your teen’s case, and more importantly, about your child’s future. In order to shed some light on the juvenile justice system in Arizona, we are going to provide some basic information about juvenile delinquency and how the courts handle juvenile cases. If you have further questions, we urge you to contact our firm to speak with Attorney Davidson, a former felony prosecutor.

Arizona’s Juvenile Court System

Under ARS § 8-201, an “incorrigible” youth is one who is truant, a runaway, or a juvenile who refuses to listen to their parent or guardian. An incorrigible youth may violate curfew or smoke cigarettes. Under ARS § 8-201, a “delinquent” youth is one who, if he or she was an adult (18 or older), they could be charged with a criminal offense listed under Title 13 of the Arizona Revised Statutes. If your son or daughter is in trouble with the law and they are under the age of 18, their case will be handled by the Juvenile Court, which has delinquency jurisdiction over all minors age 8 until they turn 18 years of age.

Will my child be tried as an adult?

It is possible, but it depends on the facts of the case. If your teenager is between the ages of 15 and 18, and they commit armedrobbery, forcible sexual assault, or murder in the first or second degree, or any other aggravated driving or a violent offense, they WILL be tried as an adult. You can learn more about this law in ARS § 13-501. Additionally, if a child is at least 14 years of age, and they are convicted in Juvenile Court on two felonies and then he or she is arrested for a third (new) felony, the juvenile MAY be tried as an adult if the county attorney feels that it would be appropriate (see ARS § 13-501) and in the best interests of public safety. Sometimes, there are other circumstances where a county attorney wishes to try a juvenile as an adult. In that case, the county attorney must file a motion to transfer and a juvenile judge must decide:
  1. If there is probable cause to try the juvenile offender in adult criminal court, and
  2. Whether the juvenile offender should be tried in adult criminal court because doing so would protect the community due to the seriousness of the offense.

Are you looking for a Phoenix criminal defense attorney to defend your son or daughter’s criminal charges? If so, contact the Law Offices of Joshua S. Davidson, PLC to schedule a free case evaluation!

Categories : Juvenile Crimes

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