Most juvenile probation in California is now capped at 12 months. A law effective January 1, 2026 says a ward cannot stay on probation longer than 12 months from the most recent disposition hearing unless a judge extends it after a noticed hearing. Several categories of wards fall outside the limit, and the starting date moves with every new disposition.
Continue reading ›Articles Posted in Juvenile Criminal Defense Lawyer
A California juvenile court can no longer impose the old $250 fine or a separate restitution fine on a ward. Victim restitution is a different matter and it is mandatory. A parent with joint or sole legal and physical custody is presumed liable for it, and the amount can be contested at a hearing.
Continue reading ›A juvenile adjudication in California is not a criminal conviction for immigration purposes, and a plea in delinquency court is not treated as an admission. That protection is real and narrower than most families assume, because some grounds of inadmissibility require no conviction at all. Keeping the case in juvenile court is usually the decision that matters most.
Continue reading ›The words low, moderate or high risk in a probation report are not a verdict. A probation officer scores the assessment, and the number shapes a recommendation rather than the court’s decision. Here is what gets scored, where it matters, and how the inputs can be challenged.
Continue reading ›Sealing directs government agencies to treat a case as if it never happened, but private background check companies don’t always refresh their databases. Here’s how a sealed case can still surface.
Continue reading ›AI monitoring tools in Orange County schools can flag student activity and trigger a police referral. Here’s what parents need to know if that happens.
Continue reading ›A fitness hearing under Welfare and Institutions Code Section 707 is a court proceeding where a judge decides whether a minor should be transferred from juvenile court to adult criminal court. The prosecution can request a transfer for minors aged 16 or 17 accused of a felony, or for minors aged 14 or 15 accused…
Continue reading ›To get a child released from juvenile hall in Orange County, a juvenile defense lawyer can argue for release at the detention hearing. Under Welfare and Institutions Code Section 632, this hearing must take place within 48 hours of the arrest, excluding weekends and holidays. In Orange County, detention hearings are held at the Betty…
Continue reading ›Fentanyl-related charges against minors in Orange County carry severe potential consequences. California has significantly increased penalties for fentanyl offenses through Assembly Bill 701 (effective 2024) and Proposition 36 (approved November 2024), which lowered quantity thresholds for sentencing enhancements. While the juvenile court system still prioritizes rehabilitation, the charges themselves are serious. The Law Office of…
Continue reading ›A 602 petition is the formal charging document in California juvenile delinquency proceedings. Filed by the district attorney under Welfare and Institutions Code Section 602, it asks the juvenile court to declare a minor a ward of the court based on allegations that the child violated state or federal law. The petition applies to minors…
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