Legal Question in Criminal Law in Indiana

Yes. Many parents make the mistake of thinking that just because they are going to a juvenile court not much can happen to their child or them. Actually in Indiana both the child and the parents are parties to the case and it is a lot easier to start off with the right advice and on the right foot than to figure out down the road you need an attorney to fix a big mess. Your child can actually be placed on probation until he or she is 18, placed outside the home in a residential treatment facility or even sent to the Department of Corrections for a delinquency and you can be ordered to do a variety of things to help your child participate in a plan of care, treatment and rehabilitation.The School or person(s) accusing your child, the probation department recommending what should happen next and whether the case is recommended for court or other action, the police, the prosecutor each have different agendas. Consulting a good, experienced attorney early on in a case can avoid problems down the road.

I agree with Mr. Rodriguez that you should take this case as seriously as you would if your son were an adult. You should at least consult with a lawyer before your son's court date. Since you didn't provide any details about what your son is accused of doing, there is no way to offer you more specific guidance.