Orlando Juvenile Defense Attorney

When a child under the age of 18 is accused of a crime in Florida, the case may be handled in the Florida Juvenile Justice System, which operates under different rules, procedures, and with different goals than adult criminal court. While juvenile court often focuses more on rehabilitation than punishment, juvenile charges are still serious and can have lasting consequences for a child’s education, future employment, and military eligibility. Juvenile cases may lead to juvenile detention, probation, or even the direct filing of charges in adult criminal court. Additionally, an adjudication of delinquency could qualify a juvenile for serious felony charges if they get into trouble again in the future. Not all cases are eligible for juvenile court. Criminal traffic offenses like Driving Without a License and Driving While License Suspended are ineligible for juvenile court and are filed in adult criminal court.

Juvenile Crimes vs. Adult Crimes in Florida

Florida juvenile cases differ significantly from their adult criminal court counterparts in several important ways:

Process	Juvenile Court	Adult Court
Arrested vs. Detained	Juveniles are detained and taken to the Department of Juvenile Justice	Adults are arrested and taken to jail.
Bond vs. Detention	Juveniles are taken to court the next day for a detention hearing to determine if they are released to a guardian or held in secure detention	Adults are held in jail. Some are eligible for immediate bond, others must wait to see a Judge to find out if they are eligible for bond at all.
Charging Document	Juvenile cases are initiated with a petition of delinquency	Adult criminal cases are initiated by Citation, Information, or Indictment
Clerk of Courts Website	Juvenile cases are sealed from the clerk of courts website and are not accessible by the general public	Most adult cases appear in the clerk of courts website with few exceptions and can be viewed by anybody
Timeline	Juvenile cases are handled on an accelerated timeline and there are strict rules regarding how long a juvenile may be held in secure detention	Adult cases can last for several months to over a year and there are fewer limits to how long a person may remain in jail once charges are filed
Trial	Juvenile cases are litigated in Non-Jury trials in which the Judge is the finder of fact	Adult cases are eligible for Jury and Non-Jury trials, depending on the offense charged
Sentence	Juveniles can be sentenced to probation or secure detention in a program for delinquent youths	Adults can be sentenced to fines, probation, jail, or prison
Permanent Record	Most minor offenses are automatically expunged from a juvenile’s record when they turn 21	Adults may only apply for seal or expungement if they are not adjudicated and only if their offense is eligible to be sealed or expunged

Why hiring a Juvenile Defense Lawyer quickly is important

Although some juvenile records may be sealed or later expunged, juvenile charges can still affect college admissions, scholarship opportunities, military enlistment, professional licensing, and future background checks. Serious charges, repeat offenses, and certain felony accusations can create even more significant long-term consequences and may not be eligible to be sealed or expunged.

CENTRAL FLORIDA JUSTICE CAN HELP

Juvenile court procedures are unique, and not every criminal defense attorney understands how to effectively navigate Florida’s juvenile justice system, detention hearings, Department of Juvenile Justice assessments, diversion options like “walker plans,” and transfer issues. Ben Baxter is an experienced Florida criminal defense attorney who understands the urgency and complexity of juvenile cases and works quickly to protect your child’s immediate freedom and long-term future.

Ben also understands that the attorney-client relationship must be built on a foundation of trust and empathy, especially when children are involved. Every Central Florida Justice client has the ability to contact their attorney directly by phone, text, or email. And every client has access to the Central Florida Justice client portal, which provides instant access to evidence in their case, notes from the attorney, court dates, and more.

If your child has been charged with a juvenile offense in Orlando or the Central Florida area, including Osceola, Lake, Polk, Seminole, or Brevard Counties, contact Central Florida Justice today for a free consultation or call/text (407) 561-1776 to speak directly with attorney Ben Baxter.