Juveniles
Delinquency Hearing Representation
If your child has been arrested and charged with a criminal offense and your child was less than 18 years of age at the time of the offense - they will receive a Delinquency Petition from the Office of Juvenile Probation.
A Juvenile Must Have an Attorney
A case cannot and will not proceed unless the child is represented by an attorney. Parents, please do not delay in getting an attorney for your child. The Office of the Public Defender will need your child to come into our office to be interviewed at least 5 working day prior to the hearing. Otherwise, the case may be delayed.
Parents: If you are financially able to hire an attorney to represent your child, you may do so. Our Juvenile Division will represent any person less than 18 years of age that asks for our representation, but the child and the parents are always free to hire a private attorney of their own choosing.
Juvenile Division Attorneys are assigned to specific courtrooms in the Juvenile Court. Therefore, the case cannot be assigned to an attorney until it is scheduled before a Judge. Be aware that clients and their parents cannot choose a particular public defender. The cases and courtrooms are assigned by the Division Supervisor.
Parental Involvement
Although very often a parent/guardian's cooperation is often very helpful and the attorney may decide to ask for your help - the attorney is not required or obligated to speak to a parent. We represent your child.
Our duties to communicate and make case decisions together extend to the child - not the parent. The attorney will try to answer your questions and include you in the case, ONLY where it is to the benefit of our client the child and where the child's interests and the parent's interests do not conflict.
Questions?
Call the Juvenile Division of the Office of the Public Defender at 412-350-3504.
Find answers and helpful resources at the Juvenile Court website.