We Can Defend Your Child In Juvenile Court

The law firm of Thomas G. Fallis, P.A., provides criminal defense services to minors in the Jacksonville area and surrounding counties in northeastern Florida, including but not limited to potential direct filings as adults.

If your child or underage teen has been arrested and charged with a crime, it is important to get legal representation as soon as possible. The negative effects of a juvenile offense can have a lasting impact on your child's life. Having a dedicated defense attorney can make all the difference in reaching a positive outcome.

What Are The Consequences For Juvenile Convictions?

Unlike the adult criminal justice system, the juvenile courts are designed to rehabilitate offenders, not punish them. Sometimes, however, juveniles are "direct filed" to adult court. This happens in cases where the defendant is a repeat offender OR (not and) has committed a serious crime.

Common sentencing for juveniles in Florida include:

  • Probation
  • Community service
  • Commitment to the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ)
  • Low-risk programs (30-45 days)
  • Moderate-risk programs (4-6 months)
  • High-risk programs (6-9 months)
  • Juvenile prison (18-36 months)

Harsh and long-term consequences are possible for a wide variety of crimes, including but not limited to drug offenses, underage drinking, theft, property crimes, violent crimes, probation violations and more.

Life Without Parole Re-Sentencing

Prior to the 2010 U.S. Supreme Court in Graham v. Florida, juveniles in Florida could be sentenced to life without parole for certain serious offenses. The effect on young people's lives has been tremendous and devastating, which was the rationale behind passing HB 7035.

Now, juveniles who were sentenced to life without parole after July 1, 2014 have the opportunity to have a judge review their case. The judge considers a number of factors, including the juvenile's age, nature of the crime, participation in rehabilitation programs and more. Depending on all of these factors, a judge may resentence the juvenile, which can result in a shorter sentence or release from prison for time served.

If your child was sentenced to life without parole, the skilled attorneys at Thomas G. Fallis, P.A., have the experience you need to seek a successful resentencing hearing.

Representation For Juvenile Offenses

From the moment your child or teen is arrested to the final hearing and trial, our lawyers will work tirelessly to make sure all the facts are collected to build a solid case.

In juvenile court, a judge, not a jury, makes all the final decisions. Our goal is to settle all juvenile offenses out of court or through pretrial diversion programs, where the first-time offender completes community service, counseling, restitution or other sanctions with the charges dropped. If necessary, however, we are prepared to take your child's case to trial before the judge.

Our compassionate and tenacious lawyers will walk you and your child through the entire process and answer your questions so you know exactly what is going on with your case. Having been featured on many local and national news outlets, Thomas G. Fallis uses his extensive experience to help his clients through some of their darkest days. Attorney George T. Fallis also uses his education and experience to benefit each client, so you can rest assured that your case is in the hands of two highly capable lawyers.

Does your child already have a record? They may be eligible to have their record sealed or expunged.

We Are Your Child's First Line Of Defense

Our children know less about the law than we do, making it easy for mistakes to get out of hand and escalate to criminal charges. We get this at Thomas G. Fallis, P.A., which is why we take an aggressive stance when defending the rights of juveniles in Jacksonville and northeastern Florida.

If you have a child facing criminal charges or was sentenced to life without parole and needs resentencing, we're ready and able to help. Call 904-356-6440 or send us a message online immediately for a free consultation to discuss your case and options.