Juvenile Offenses

Attorney Jeffrey R. Lawrence has a special passion for juvenile defense law, as minors are particularly vulnerable to being taken advantage of by the system.  While working as an attorney for the San Bernardino County Public Defender’s office, he spent over 4 years exclusively handling juvenile clients charged with a variety of offenses ranging from simple misdemeanors, all the way up to murder, literally hundreds and hundreds of cases.  In fact, he currently still accepts appointment on indigent cases as a member of the San Bernardino County Juvenile Conflict Panel in order to stay closely connected to the local community.  In December 2005, Mr. Lawence was awarded the "Outstanding Attorney of the Year Award" for the juvenile division of the San Bernardino County Public Defender's Office…the only year such an award was given!  Mr. Lawrence has also been a guest lecturer in the past at the Juvenile Law Institute held annually at the University of California, Riverside, and he has trained many attorneys how to be better juvenile advocates.

Now, as a private practitioner, Mr. Lawrence has even more time to dedicate to being a fierce advocate for his young clients.  Since a minor’s future can be greatly undermined by not only a criminal record, but also by the way that they are treated during the criminal proceedings, it is very important to have someone on their side whom they can trust, who will fully explain all of their options to them on their level.  Mr. Lawrence is fantastic at doing this from years and years of practice.

In California, juvenile courts differ significantly from adult courts, and their complicated rules and procedures can add an additional level of anxiety. Mr. Lawrence will take the time to explain those rules and procedures to every client and their families, to help demystify the system and reduce that anxiety.  Do not hire an attorney without special juvenile law training to represent your child. 
 
If the DA is trying to send your child to adult court, Mr. Lawrence has handled several of these “fit and proper” hearings and he will marshal all resources and arguments that are available to him to keep a minor from being prosecuted and punished as an adult, a trend that has taken hold in recent years. Given the stakes, he applies the same aggressiveness to a juvenile case as he does to his adult cases, seeking to reduce or dismiss charges, suppress illegally obtained evidence and confessions, and he will attempt to negotiate a fair settlement or win at trial. 
Mr. Lawrence also recognizes the crucial importance of the juvenile sentencing hearing (aka disposition hearing) should there be a conviction, as judges have considerable discretion in handing out punishments, but they can consider mitigating information that many attorneys don’t bother with.  Mr. Lawrence brings the credibility and knowledge he has developed over 20 years of practice to each juvenile hearing and his goal is to see that each minor he represents receives the best result possible for their case.