JUVENILE COURT DEFENSE

When the Criminal Defense Strikeforce accepts your California juvenile case, we work closely with you and your family to determine the best course of action to achieve the best result.

With his extensive knowledge and experience of California juvenile law and procedure, former Juvenile Court Commissioner Jack J. Gold, intelligently and aggressively defends each juvenile case.

Gold, Leftwich & Wagner are criminal lawyers who know Juvenile Court:

Juvenile Disposition Hearings: In deciding the disposition (or punishment) of a juvenile court case, the California juvenile court judge, Commissioner or referee considers information presented by your California juvenile court attorney at the disposition (sentencing) hearing that is either admitted or that the California juvenile court judge or commissioner finds to be true.

Juvenile Punishment Options: A judge, Commissioner, or referee of the juvenile court may set aside the findings and dismiss the petition if the interests of justice and the welfare of the juvenile require such dismissal, or if the judge or commissioner of the California juvenile court find that the juvenile is not in need of treatment or rehabilitation.

The California juvenile court shall have jurisdiction to order such dismissal or setting aside of the findings and dismissal regardless of whether the juvenile is, at the time of such order, a ward or dependent child of the California juvenile court.
A Judge or Commissioner of the California juvenile court may place the client on informal probation for up to six months without a declaration of wardship.
A judge or commissioner of the California juvenile court may place a juvenile on deferred entry of judgment with the agreement of juvenile's California juvenile law defense attorney that this is the best alternative.
A judge or commissioner of the California juvenile court may declare the juvenile to be a ward of the court. If so, the California juvenile judge or commissioner may keep the juvenile at home, remove the juvenile from the parent's custody; order the parent or guardian retain to custody of the juvenile with or without probation officer supervision and/or may limit control by the parent or guardian.
A judge or commissioner of the California juvenile court may also place the juvenile on probation, impose a fine, restitution, or place the juvenile in a facility or commit the juvenile to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Facilities (DJF), formerly the Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) formerly the California Youth Authority (CYA).
Commitment to the California DJF is the most restrictive placement. A court may base a DJF commitment on punishment and public safety grounds as long as it will bring rehabilitative benefit to the child.
If the juvenile used a firearm in a violent felony, it is mandatory the judge or commissioner of the juvenile court send the juvenile to juvenile hall, ranch, camp, or to the DJF. Enhancements may be added by the District Attorney to the maximum term of confinement.
Unless the child is committed to the DJF, the maximum term of confinement the court may impose is the longest term of imprisonment that could be imposed on an adult convicted of the same offense.
When a child is in the delinquency system, family reunification and preservation are goals, as long as those goals are consistent with the child's and public's best interests.

Division of Juvenile Facilities - The DJJ and CYA are now known as Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Facilities (DJF). This is the most restrictive placement. While juvenile law does not require the juvenile court to find that less restrictive placements have been previously attempted before placing a child in the DJF, our Juvenile Law Defense team led by Jack J. Gold who served as a Juvenile Court Commissioner for over 26 years does everything to avoid this placement.

As your Juvenile Delinquency Attorneys, we advocate on behalf of our child clients to urge the District Attorney and the Juvenile Court to find that less restrictive punishments are just as effective and appropriate to rehabilitate the child and protect public safety.

A juvenile delinquency case charging a minor with a crime described in subdivision (b) of Welfare and Institutions Code section 707 must be represented by skilled juvenile court attorneys. Section 707(b) lists 30 serious or violent felonies, including the sex offenses, rape with force, violence or threat of great bodily harm, oral copulation by force, violence, duress, menace or threat of great bodily harm that increase the likelihood for DJF.

In Los Angeles County, there are three Juvenile Halls: Eastlake, Los Padrinos and Sylmar. There are several Courthouses for Juvenile delinquency cases, including Eastlake Juvenile Court, Inglewood Juvenile Courthouse, Los Padrinos Juvenile Court in Downey, David V. Kenyon Juvenile Justice Center, and San Fernando Valley Juvenile Court in Sylmar. Juvenile courts are also in Long Beach, Pasadena and Lancaster.

In Orange County, Juvenile delinquency cases held in the Lamoreaux Justice Center.

Contact Juvenile Criminal Defense Attorneys now for experienced representation by former California Juvenile Court Commissioner Jack J. Gold.