Rockland County Juvenile Crimes Defense Lawyer

Juvenile Crimes in Rockland County

Did your child commit a crime? Children can be pressured by peers or be in the wrong place at the wrong time, leading to criminal charges. Every year there are thousands of young people who are criminally accused, from cases of DWI through to the most violent of criminal offenses. If your child does not receive high quality legal representation they could encounter a host of future problems. I believe that young people deserve the best defense and as a Rockland County criminal defense lawyer, I can help.

In New York, anyone who has achieved the age of 16 as of the date of their alleged offense is considered an adult and is prosecuted in criminal court. However, persons who have not yet achieved their 19th birthday at the time of offense are eligible for Youthful Offender status. Commonly known as "YO", when a person receives "YO", their conviction is vacated and replaced with a Youthful Offender Adjudication. A "YO" adjudication is NOT a crime, and with that result, a teen maintains a clean record. The Law Office of William J. Reddy is well versed in the complexities of the Youthful Offender statute, and is best positioned to achieve such an adjudication for your child.

Persons who are not yet 16 when they have committed their offense see their cases handled in Family Court, unless their offense consists of murder or some other high level violent felony. Most importantly, a criminal conviction cannot occur in Family Court. However, significant consequences do occur, such as probation, community service, orders of protection, and detention in a juvenile facility. It is important to defend your child in Family Court as vigorously as you would in criminal court. The Law Office of William J. Reddy has a verifiable record of results in Family Court.

I will do everything possible to defend your child, and my court record speaks for itself. I am proud of my many successes in criminal and juvenile court, and take particular care to provide the best possible defense for young people. I will suggest community service and fines when possible, or other alternatives that could allow your child to move forward with "lesson learned". We all make mistakes, and young people are particularly susceptible to peer pressure and don't have the experience in life to make wise decisions. They deserve the best in a defense lawyer, and I will aggressively pursue a favorable case outcome, whether in alternative sentencing, reduced charges or an acquittal at trial.

Contact a Rockland County juvenile crimes defense lawyer if your child has been charged with a crime. My firm will work hard to protect your child's rights and future.