Michigan Criminal Attorneys Blog
One of the worst feelings a parent can have is to hear that their child was arrested for a crime such as shoplifting. After getting over the initial shock and disappointment the question becomes what will happen next. If your child is lucky the store, police, and/or prosecution will decide not to pursue the charge. In many cases, if the child is older than 12 years old there may be some form of court intervention.
In Michigan, for petty offenses such as retail fraud, where the case is prosecuted depends upon the age of the child. For children under the age of 17 years, the matter is handled by a juvenile court. Jurisdiction for juvenile cases is usually in the county where the offense allegedly occurred, which may or may not be different from the county where the offense actually occurred. If your child is 17 years or older the case will be handled at the District Court that has jurisdiction over the case, which is where cases for adults are heard.
In both juvenile and District Court your child will have similar rights. These rights include the following: