What happens if a minor is caught dealing drugs

Local attorneys will also have experience dealing with the local juvenile justice system, know the juvenile prosecutors and judges, and can protect your rights at every stage of the juvenile justice process.

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Please reference the Terms of Use and the Supplemental Terms for specific information related to your state. Market Your Law Firm. Lawyer Directory. Call us at 1 Juvenile Drug Possession. Learn about the laws and penalties that apply if a juvenile is charged with drug possession. Possession Any juvenile who knowingly and without legal justification possesses a controlled or illegal substance can be charged with juvenile drug possession.

Knowledge To be convicted of drug possession, a juvenile must knowingly possess or control the prohibited substance. Control To be convicted of possessing drugs, a prosecutor does not have to show that the juvenile was actually holding the drugs, or had them in a pocket or somewhere else on his or her body.

Penalties Anytime a juvenile is charged with a drug possession violation, that juvenile faces some potentially serious consequences. Drug counseling. Juvenile courts typically focus on rehabilitating young people. Because of this, a juvenile court can order the juvenile offender, as well as his or her parents, to attend drug counseling in hopes of rehabilitating the teen. Each state has its own set of criminal codes that differ from one another.

Laws regarding questioning, searches, and property seizures all vary. Contacting an attorney early on can help protect your child's rights. Often, the earlier an attorney is contacted, the more they can advise you and your child of your options.

The idea behind getting an attorney isn't to prevent your child from experiencing consequences, but to help ensure the best possible outcome given the circumstances. Unfortunately, criminal and juvenile delinquency cases can have long-lasting effects on a young person's life. In addition to the possibility of having a court record that could follow them into adulthood, this misstep could potentially impact their college admissions and career choices.

Fortunately, most states have special juvenile or first-time offender options that can keep a first drug offense from permanently impacting your teen's future. A knowledgeable attorney can guide you through the local process. Find an attorney specializing in youth drug-related crimes who is familiar with how local cases are handled. Some areas have local youth courts or are able to dismiss charges if a teen attends treatment or counseling.

Your attorney should be able to offer advice beginning in the investigation period, and then provide legal counsel throughout the case if charges are filed against your teen. Keep in mind, you will need to consider the rules of the school, as well. As a result, if you want the attorney to advise you on issues with the school, be sure to make that clear upfront. Most schools will place a student who is caught with drugs or alcohol on some sort of suspension where the student at least temporarily loses their rights to sit in a classroom.

Be sure to get, and keep, a written copy of any disciplinary measure that is taken by the school toward your child. This document should tell you exactly what your child is being disciplined for, and outline the exact disciplinary measure being taken by the school. The document also should detail how long the suspension should last, and what your child needs to do to return to school.

You also should receive information on how to appeal the suspension. And, if your child has an IEP individualized education plan , they may have some extra protections. The needs of the student as listed in the IEP will need to be considered in the disciplinary process.

This doesn't mean that a child with an IEP cannot be suspended, but rather that the circumstances of the suspension need to be considered along with the disability. In some cases, your child may be expelled rather than suspended.

Again, you should get and keep any records or documents. If your child is expelled, find out if the expulsion is for the remainder of the school year or longer. Ask if there are conditions that will allow your child to return to school. You also should research what other options your child will have available to them, whether that involves transferring to another school or attending a program for students who have been expelled.

The suspension paperwork may list steps your child needs to follow before being allowed back into school. But keep in mind that it may not include everything your child will need to do to return to regular schoolwork and be successful. In addition to the actions listed in the discipline document, your teen may miss schoolwork during the time of any suspension. Ask what work your child will need to complete, and how they will be able to complete it while suspended.

Eligibility for extracurricular activities also may be affected. Ask whether your child will be excluded from any school activities, and if there are steps they can take to become involved again. Regardless of whether your teen has an addiction, is using drugs to numb their pain, or is trying to fit in with the wrong people, they need help for their substance abuse problems. For many teens this help begins with counseling and a drug treatment program—especially if it's part of their sentence.

However, there are some circumstances in which a juvenile may be charged and tried as an adult. If convicted as an adult, the juvenile may face penalties that may include serving a sentence of incarceration in an adult jail or prison alongside adult offenders. This hearing presents an opportunity for a skilled juvenile drug defense lawyer to argue to keep the case — and any resulting penalties — in the juvenile justice system. A minor charged with delinquency may feel alone and that no one is listening to his or her side of the story.

In some instances, it may be possible to get the case dismissed without your child having to go through delinquency proceedings at all. When handled with care, juvenile delinquency proceedings can help a teenager get the help they need to manage volatile emotions or substance abuse issues that might have led to their arrest. A skilled juvenile drug defense attorney can work to see that as part of the outcome, your child gets any treatment that might be appropriate, such as drug or alcohol abuse counseling.

Recipients must comply with the Georgia Drug Free Postsecondary Education Act, which means that students lose eligibility if convicted of specific felony offenses for marijuana, a variety of dangerous drugs and other controlled substances.

These potential consequences exemplify the need for an aggressive Athens criminal defense attorney. If your or your child finds him or herself facing underage possession charges, an experienced Athens drug crime defense lawyer can prove helpful in defending the case. If you are facing your first possession charge, your attorney may negotiate your participation in a diversionary program in exchange for dismissal of charges. If a conviction is secured, your attorney can advocate for a shorter jail sentence, or community service in lieu of incarceration.

For a minor, one poor decision can prove detrimental to their entire adult life. If your minor child has been arrested in Georgia under a drug possession charge, or is facing charges as a minor in possession of alcohol in Athens, contact Athens Attorney J.

Lee Webb for an aggressive and comprehensive defense. As a minor, you may be eligible for a special diversion program that will help you avoid a permanent criminal record. To have your charge dismissed or removed from your record, you will be required to complete certain terms, such as going through rehabilitation or performing community service.

Attorney Lee Webb has helped a number of underage clients apply for the diversion program in order to mitigate the impact a minor in possession of drugs charge could have had on their life. To learn more about your charges—and whether you may be eligible for this program— Call the Law Office of J. Lee Webb today for a confidential consultation. This was a first-time DUI 0. I was referred to Lee by a lawyer friend. Lee and Alisa his assistant did an outstanding job of guiding me through the process from first contact all the way through trial that never occu.

Lee did an amazing job on my case.