Wheaton, Illinois Juvenile Defense Lawyer

Juvenile Court Defense Attorney in DuPage County and Throughout Chicago

If your child has been taken into custody, you need to engage the assistance of a compassionate and qualified juvenile defense attorney as soon as possible. Your child may be released from a police department pending an investigation, issued an ordinance violation ticket, or at worst, detained and facing a juvenile delinquency petition. If your child is petitioned to juvenile court, you as his parent also become a party to the case and must appear in court. The juvenile court system can be frightening for a child and his parents to navigate, so the need for qualified advice and guidance is critical.

Attorney Stacey A. McCullough is well-versed in the juvenile justice system and is committed to advocating on your child’s behalf. The goal of the juvenile justice system is to rehabilitate, rather than punish the minor offender. At our firm, we focus on gathering mitigation in order to take advantage of the wide array of alternatives to incarceration available to minors, such as probation, community service, individual therapy, and substance abuse treatment. We understand that children and teens make mistakes, but should be given the opportunity to get their lives back on track and achieve their dreams. Many parents of accused minors in DuPage County, Kane County, and throughout the Chicagoland area seek out our firm because of our ability to listen, understand, and fight to protect families. Our firm represents juveniles accused in all types of criminal cases, including:

• Theft & Burglary
• Traffic Violations
• Electronic Crimes
• Drug Charges
• Battery & Sex Crimes
• Defacement of/Damage to Property
• Violent Crimes
• Weapons Charges

Juvenile Delinquency in Illinois

If your child is 17 years old or younger, in most circumstances, his or her case will be prosecuted in the juvenile court system. Since 2010, if the charge would be classified as a misdemeanor in the adult system, and your child is 17 or younger, the case would proceed in juvenile court. As of January 1, 2014, if the charge would be classified as a felony in the adult system, and your child is 17 or younger, the case will now also proceed in juvenile court in most situations. Exceptions exist; however, for certain violent crimes which allow for discretionary or automatic transfer to the adult system. The Illinois Legislature has recognized that youth development demands that they be treated not as hardened criminals, but rather, as children who can be restored and rehabilitated with proper services and assistance.

If your child is facing an offense such as DUI, Driving with No License, or Suspended License, or has been issued an ordinance violation, those matters are handled in the adult court system, and your child must be represented. If your child is found guilty in juvenile court, they will have a juvenile adjudication and not a “conviction.” For the purposes of future employment or school admission applications, juvenile cases are not a part of your child’s criminal record available to the public. It is still important to seek expungement of any juvenile records when applicable, whether your child was processed in a “station adjustment” or found delinquent in juvenile court.

Our law office can assist you in the expungement process as well. If your child is facing juvenile misdemeanor or felony charges or is being charged as an adult, you need to secure an aggressive legal defense as soon as possible. For an Initial Attorney Meeting with an experienced Illinois juvenile defense lawyer, contact our firm today at 630-871-1700. Our law firm represents clients in criminal legal cases, traffic violations, juvenile defense cases and expungements throughout the Chicago such as Wheaton, Naperville, Lombard, St. Charles, Geneva, Aurora, DuPage County, Kane County, Will County, Cook County, Kendall County, and surrounding Illinois areas.