Juvenile Cases

Naples, Florida, Juvenile Crime Defense Attorney

Too often kids are rushed through the Florida juvenile justice system. Even some parents encourage their children to plead guilty and take their punishment. However, a juvenile criminal record can have long-lasting or even permanent ramifications that are only discovered with hindsight.

If your child was arrested for a crime, we offer a free initial consultation in order to offer you an honest, straightforward assessment of the case and your options. I have been a criminal defense lawyer in Southwest Florida for 15 years, and we have extensive experience in juvenile courts in Collier and Lee counties. For four years, I handled nothing but juvenile cases as a public defender, and Mr. Chandler is a former juvenile prosecutor in Collier.

The state of Florida has its own separate bureaucracy called the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) to handle cases involving a minor. Unfortunately, the system tends to presume all children guilty.

The state attorney’s office, together with the DJJ, will attempt to dictate what happens to a child, including whether he or she is detained or sent to a commitment program, which is essentially a residential center for juveniles. Sometimes juveniles get a public defender, and sometimes they don't. If parents don't hire a defense attorney, many kids will go through juvenile court without any legal representation whatsoever.

You should never force your child to enter guilty plea without a full understanding of the consequences this could have on your child's future. As your lawyers, we will keep an eye on the big picture and make sure your child's constitutional rights are protected. We will evaluate the strength of the state's cases to see whether the state even has enough evidence to making a finding of juvenile delinquency. Even if the government has a strong case, we will pay specific attention to mitigation and protection of the juvenile record. We have one of the most experienced juvenile teams in Southwest Florida.

We handle all types of criminal offenses committed by a minor, including:

• Shoplifting
• Vandalism
• Theft or burglary
• Drug charges
• Assault and battery
• Sex crimes

Free attorney consultation: If your son or daughter was arrested for a crime, contact us, Collier County juvenile defense attorney David T. Agoston. Se habla español.