Union County NJ Juvenile Court Lawyer

Juvenile Defense Attorney in Elizabeth, New Jersey

If you or your child has a juvenile case involving underage possession of alcohol, possession of marijuana, criminal mischief, theft, or another juvenile criminal offense in Elizabeth or Union County, New Jersey, the prospect of what to do next can be extremely frightening. When dealing with the New Jersey juvenile justice process, which operates separate and apart from the adult criminal justice process, you need a knowledgeable and experienced juvenile defense lawyer who can aggressively protect your rights. Juveniles in New Jersey face a host of serious consequences when issued criminal complaints; however, there are a number of ways to minimize and/or avoid the short and long-term repercussions of being “adjudicated delinquent.” Alissa Hascup is a highly experienced Union County juvenile defense attorney who fights tirelessly on behalf of minors in Elizabeth, Plainfield, Union City, Rahway, Linden, Scotch Plains, and throughout New Jersey. Having served as an Assistant County Prosecutor and former Municipal Prosecutor, Alissa knows what it takes to effectively defend juveniles accused of crimes and she is dedicated to walking her clients through every stage of the legal process. For a free consultation about your or your child’s juvenile criminal case in Union County, contact The Law Offices of Alissa Hascup anytime at 862-257-1200 or submit an online contact form.

Union County Juvenile Court Information

In New Jersey, when minors are issued criminal complaints, they are sent through the juvenile justice process, which has individual rules and guidelines that differ greatly from the criminal justice process for adults. For instance, when a juvenile is accused of an offense that would otherwise constitute a felony or disorderly persons offense if committed by an adult, their case is heard in the Family Division of the Superior Court in the county where they currently live, as opposed to the county where the charges were filed. In other words, if you live in Plainfield, and are accused of a crime outside of Union County, your case will be still be heard in the Family Division of Union County Superior Court.

The Union County Superior Court is located at 2 Broad Street, Elizabeth, New Jersey. Court hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and the main court office can be reached at 908-659-4600. As mentioned, if you a juvenile facing criminal charges in Union County, your case will be handled by the Juvenile Part of the Union County Superior Court, Family Division. The Union County Family Division Manager is Agnes Ekama, whose contact number is 908-659-5825. For additional information about the Union County Superior Court, please visit the Union County Superior Court website.

Juvenile Criminal Charges in Union County, New Jersey

When police decide to file criminal complaint against a juvenile in Union County, the case is then sent to the Union County Juvenile Unit for review. Depending on the circumstances of the specific case, a juvenile case can be sent to the Juvenile Conference Committee or a Juvenile Referee, which is a less formal proceedings. On the other hand, cases involving more serious offenses and juveniles with previous criminal history are typically resolved through a hearing before a Juvenile Judge. Fortunately, there are many alternative sentences that may be issued in a juvenile case in New Jersey with the intent of rehabilitating the minor, as opposed to punishing them to the fullest extent of the law. For example, you may be able to resolve your juvenile case through a plea to a lesser offense, community service, fines, restitution payments, mental health counseling, work and educational programs, or another outcome that allows you to get back to your life as soon as possible. Of course, an experienced juvenile defense lawyer will always seek to achieve an outright dismissal first, and then if this is not possible, they will work to secure the most favorable outcome.

Union County Juvenile Detention Center

If you, your son, or daughter are facing juvenile charges for possession of a CDS, robbery, unlawful possession of a weapon, drug distribution, assault, or another criminal offense in Union County, New Jersey, the first step is to find the answers you need to successfully navigate through what’s ahead. Contact the Law Offices of Alissa Hascup today at 862-257-1200 for a free consultation with a Union County juvenile defense lawyer who can help. Alissa provides aggressive defense representation for minors in Cranford, Hillside, Roselle, Sprinfield, Mountainside, and throughout Union County.