It is often wise to retain a lawyer to represent a juvenile before the juvenile justice process has formally begun, such as when police contact a juvenile’s parents asking that they bring him or her to the station for a statement. A juvenile justice attorney must always think strategically in order to prevent charges altogether or to accomplish a case resolution on terms most just to the juvenile—maximizing his or her chances of success going forward, including with no record of arrest or adjudication.

Persons in need of legal representation, if unable to afford an attorney, may contact the Office of the Public Defender: https://www.nj.gov/defender/. A list of regional offices is accessible here https://www.nj.gov/defender/structure/regions/index.shtml.

Separately, the author of this website, Alex G. Leone, provides legal counsel and representation to juveniles (or their parents) in New Jersey or New York (or pro hac vice) and can charge fees based on ability to pay. To contact Alex, please email alex@juvenilejusticeattorney.com or call 908-440-0591. Alex’s law firm, Leone Law LLC, is based in Central New Jersey with office spaces in Mountainside (Union County) and Piscataway (Middlesex County), New Jersey. For more information about Alex, please see the About tab. As indicated by this website, ¡hablamos español!