Juvenile Court
If a person under the age of 18 is arrested and/or charged with a crime or traffic offense in Fairfax County, the case will originate in the Fairfax County Juvenile Court. The system works completely differently than adult court and differently from other juvenile courts throughout Virginia. Juvenile court is designed to rehabilitate. As the largest county in Virginia, Fairfax offers many programs that simply aren’t available or offered in smaller jurisdictions. If you or your child is facing a juvenile charge in Fairfax, only an experienced attorney will know all the possible options available for your child.
As a former prosecutor in Fairfax, Faraji Rosenthall was often assigned to handle juvenile cases, sometimes more than 20 cases a day. That type of Fairfax juvenile court experience is invaluable when translated into private practice. Henow brings that experience to help youth charged with various crimes including:
- Underage possession of alcohol
- Reckless driving
- DWI
- Driving after illegally drinking alcohol
- Assault and battery
- Shoplifting
- Embezzlement
- Drug possession
- Drug distribution
- Drug possession with intent to distribute
- Violent crimes
The juvenile system is set up to help children. Its stated goal is fundamentally different and its operation reflects this difference. Whereas adult court uses incarceration as its main punishment, juvenile court uses a laundry list of programs to deal with children who may have made a mistake. It is also much easier to avoid a lifelong record in juvenile court. However, it is important that the Fairfax juvenile lawyer you hire be familiar with the process, the judges, and the prosecutors who make up juvenile court.
If your child is facing a charge in juvenile court, protect his or herfuture by discussing the case with Mr. Rosenthall.