In Fort Collins and Larimer County, juvenile Assault is charged for the same reason that an adult is charged. In fact, in Colorado, juveniles are held to the same laws as adults. The only difference is the way they are sentenced. When a child is charged with Assault, they are charged under the same criminal statute that an adult would be charged under – C.R.S. 18-3-202 (First Degree Assault), C.R.S. 18-3-203 (Second Degree Assault) or C.R.S. 18-3-304 (Third Degree Assault). A ten-year-old boy was recently charged with juvenile Assault after throwing a dodgeball at another boy. According to the report, the boys were playing a game called ‘tips.’ During the game, the boy threw the ball and it hit another boy in the head causing a concussion. Initially, the young boy was charged with Assault, but prosecutors thought better of it and decided that it was not a matter that should be handled through court. Thank goodness someone saw the light, because it seems completely ridiculous that someone getting hurt during a game would result in criminal charges.
Attorney for Juvenile Case in Fort Collins: How Juvenile Cases are Treated Differently
Luckily, the criminal justice system recognized that children should be handled differently than adults. This doesn’t mean that if your child is charged with a crime in Fort Collins, Loveland, or Estes Park, you should risk handling the case yourself though. There are many times where the DA needs to be reminded the age of the accused and that restoration should be the ultimate goal, not punishment.
Potential Outcomes for Juvenile Cases in Larimer County – A Dodgeball Assault
There are many different options when it comes to juvenile cases in Larimer County. Sometimes, cases can be screened for diversion – which means that the case will never actually be dealt with in court. Instead, a case manager through the diversion program is assigned and oversees the progress of your child. This outcome keeps a criminal case off your child’s record and all records are still able to be expunged after the diversion program is successfully completed. Another potential resolution is a deferred adjudication. Your child would plead guilty to a crime, but if they successfully complete their sentence, the guilty plea is reversed and the case is dismissed. Both these outcomes would allow the child’s record to be expunged. At the O’Malley Law Office, it is always our goal to protect your child’s future. We try to resolve cases in ways where your child won’t have to carry the burden of a juvenile adjudication going into adulthood.
If your child has been charged with a crime, contact the best juvenile defense attorneys from the O’Malley Law Office at 970-658-0007 to schedule a free consultation. Together, we can protect your future.
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