Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

Your son needs an attorney. I assume he has been ordered to appear in juvenile court on a delinquency case, which is the juvenile equivalent of a criminal prosecution.

If you cannot afford to hire a lawyer, the judge will appoint one to represent you.

Most 12 year olds today are very sexually aware, from what they see in movies, TV and magazines. There is always a kid who brings some sort of porn to school, too. The problem is that they lack the maturity to know what is appropriate and sometimes act out what they see in the media.

I agree completely with Mr. Marshall. Get an attorney in your area asap (which I do not believe that I am). Your son is looking at some very long term consequences and needs professional counsel.

Messrs. Marshall and Polston are right. The fact that you haven't had "the talk" with your son yet does not mean he is uninformed about sex. Most 12-year-old boys have spent a lot of time discussing it with their peers and looking for sexual content on TV, in adult magazines, online, etc. They often pick up a lot of misinformation along the way. These days, "the talk" is more about giving guidance than providing information.