Anytime someone faces criminal charges, there can be a great deal of anxiety and unease. The uncertainty about the future can lead to many questions. When the person facing criminal charges is a juvenile, there is even more uncertainty and fear. A simple mistake by a child could cause them to suffer immensely and impact their entire future.
As news stories about school threats and shootings become more common, local authorities are becoming tougher and treating school threats as serious offenses. If a child makes a threat online, such as on a social media site, both state and federal authorities can get involved. A student could face severe consequences for making a threat or bringing a gun.
If your minor child is facing threat charges, you should consult with a criminal defense lawyer from our team. Our skilled juvenile defense attorneys understand how serious any kind of charge can be, including juvenile threat charges in Orlando. We could fight for the best possible outcome.
Students who make a threat or bring a gun to school can face both school disciplinary action and criminal penalties.
When a student makes online or written threats, their school could suspend or expel them. Any disciplinary action taken by the school could end up interfering with the student’s ability to gain acceptance into college because it would show up on their permanent school record.
The criminal justice system could also get involved. Florida treats written threats as second-degree felonies. Convicted adult offenders could face prison time and large fines.
If a student actually brings a gun to school, threatens to bring a gun to school, or makes a bomb threat, authorities will act swiftly and harshly. The student could face suspension or expulsion from school.
A student over the age of 18 who brings a gun to school could also face severe legal penalties. Possession of a gun on school grounds is a third-degree felony. If convicted, an individual could face up to five years in prison, followed by up to five years of probation, as well as a $5,000 fine. If the individual used the weapon in a threatening manner, they could face enhanced penalties because of those aggravating factors.
However, if the accused individual is a minor, the juvenile court system would most likely handle their case. Juvenile offenses are often heard in civil, and not criminal, courts in Florida. If convicted, a juvenile court could incarcerate the offender in a juvenile detention facility, and they have more discretion than traditional courts that handle cases involving adults. The goal of the juvenile justice system is to try to rehabilitate and educate, not merely punish an accused offender. A juvenile court could require the minor to go to therapy, perform community service, or enter into a diversion program.
Our skilled Orlando lawyers could work tirelessly and aggressively to help minimize the potential penalties of charges of juvenile threats.
Our legal team could carefully review the evidence to evaluate the strength of the prosecution’s case, devising a defense strategy that best attacks their angle. For instance, our Orlando lawyers might be able to argue that the juvenile’s threat was simply a hoax, or get witnesses to testify that the threat was made on a dare or as a joke. Alternatively, the defense team might be able to argue that they did not actually send the online or written threat and that somebody was trying to harm their reputation by impersonating them.
That is in addition to other typical defenses, such as lack of evidence, police coercion, or violation of constitutional rights,
Anytime a juvenile faces accusations of criminal charges, you need to act swiftly and carefully – their future is on the line. You need to ensure your child receives the best defense from an experienced legal team with a proven track record of successfully defending against juvenile threat charges in Orlando.
Call us now to set up an initial consultation and let our legal team review the facts, so you can get a full understanding of your child’s legal rights and options.