Milwaukee Juvenile Crime Attorneys

The juvenile justice system in Wisconsin is quite different from the adult criminal justice system. Unfamiliarity with the court terminology, criteria, procedures, punishments — all of which are unique in the juvenile justice system — can haunt your child during the process and for years to come if the case is resolved unfavorably.

Wisconsin Juvenile Justice System — the Basics

In Wisconsin, criminal complaints (criminal charges) are not brought in the juvenile system. Rather, a delinquency petition is filed alleging the crime. Likewise, young adults who are found guilty are not “convicted” in juvenile court; they are adjudicated delinquent. Rather than facing the potential for jail time, they face the potential for juvenile detention. Additionally, in juvenile court, there is no right to bail, nor is there a right to a trial by jury. These are just a few of the differences between the adult and juvenile justice systems.

Defending Juveniles Against All Criminal Charges

At the law office of Magner & Hueneke, LLP, Milwaukee juvenile justice attorney Ed Borda has extensive experience defending juveniles facing allegations for committing serious crimes such as:

  • Homicide/murder
  • Armed robbery
  • Kidnapping
  • Sexual assault/rape
  • Carjacking
  • Arson
  • Gun crimes
  • Assault and battery
  • Drug crimes
  • Other juvenile crimes

Exceptional Experience Handling Waiver and Reverse Waiver Cases

In Wisconsin, minors who have reached the age of 17 are considered adults — and can be subjected to criminal prosecution as adults. Minors under the age of 17 are subjected to juvenile court procedures.

  • Waiver cases: In certain cases, the prosecution may file a waiver petition, and will demonstrate certain criteria in an effort to have the minor removed from the juvenile system and charged as an adult.
  • Reverse waiver cases: In the most serious criminal cases involving juvenile defendants such as cases involving first-degree murder or vehicular homicide, minors may be initially charged as adults (without first filing the case in the juvenile system) due to the severity of the offense. A reverse waiver petition must be granted in order to have the case brought in the juvenile justice system instead.

Aggressively Protecting the Rights of Your Child

There are many reasons the prosecution may pursue a waiver to have a minor removed from the juvenile system and instead pursue charges in adult criminal court or to have the child charged initially in adult court (if the crime is egregious enough). For example, the prosecution may argue that because the minor acts as an adult — through involvement with a gang, by supporting a child, through numerous stints on probation, by allegedly committing adult crimes or many other reasons — he or she should be charged as an adult.

Whether representing the interests of a minor in a waiver case or reverse waiver case, we have the experience, knowledge and resources necessary to provide the relentless defense representation that is necessary in these cases. In waiver cases, we work diligently with expert psychologists and other experts to demonstrate why our client’s case should be kept in the juvenile system. In cases where our client was charged as an adult, we aggressively pursued a reverse waiver to get the case reverted back to the juvenile system. In both waiver and reverse waiver cases, we work hard to identify opportunities still available for the individual in the juvenile justice system and the justified reasons for keeping the case in the juvenile system or transferring the case to the juvenile system. Factors involving the minor’s educational background, emotional or mental development and many other factors will be vital in succeeding in these cases.

Contact Our Milwaukee County Juvenile Criminal Defense Attorneys

Unfortunately, many public defenders are inexperienced when it comes to providing juveniles with the proper defense they need. Magner & Hueneke, LLP, has the exceptional ability to effectively handle these complex cases. Contact us online or call 414-281-4529 to speak with a Milwaukee juvenile defense lawyer who cares about your child and his or her future.

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