Criminal Defense
Wisconsin Juvenile Defense Lawyers
When Your Child Is Accused, Their Future Is at Stake. Get a Skilled and Experienced Defense Team to Fight For You.
When Your Child Is Accused, Even as a Juvenile, Their Future Is on the Line. Get a Skilled and Experienced Defense Team to Fight For You.
When a young person is accused of a crime, the stakes reach far beyond the courtroom and into their education, their future opportunities, and your family’s life. Wisconsin’s juvenile system has its own rules, procedures, and dispositions, and in serious cases, the case may begin in adult court, or prosecutors may seek to waive a child into adult court.
At Strang Bradley, we defend children across Wisconsin, focusing on protecting their record and their future. We guide families through an unfamiliar and stressful process and fight to keep a single mistake from defining a young person’s life.
How the Juvenile System Is Different
- Cases proceed in juvenile court with the stated goal of rehabilitation, not just punishment
- Different terminology applies — a ‘delinquency petition’ rather than a criminal complaint
- Dispositions can include supervision, counseling, restitution, and placement
- Some offenses and ages can result in waiver or ‘reverse waiver’ between juvenile and adult court
- Juvenile records are subject to special confidentiality rules, but are not automatically erased
Charges We Defend In Juvenile Court
- Theft, retail theft, and property offenses
- Drug and alcohol offenses
- Battery, fighting, and disorderly conduct
- Sex offenses and sexting-related allegations
- Weapons offenses
- School-related incidents and threats
How We Protect Young Clients
- Fighting waiver into adult court
- Moving to “reverse waive” a case that started in adult court into juvenile court
- Seeking diversion, deferred prosecution, and dismissal where appropriate
- Challenging the evidence and any unlawful search or questioning of your child
- Ensuring your child’s rights were respected during any police interview
- Working toward dispositions that prioritize education, treatment, and a clean future
What Parents Should Do
- Do not let your child be questioned by police or school officials without a lawyer.
- Gather information about the incident, including names of witnesses.
- Contact a juvenile defense attorney as soon as you learn of the allegation
Why Choose Strang Bradley for Your Child’s Case
Juvenile cases require a defense lawyer who understands both the law and what is at stake for a young person’s future. Our attorneys know the juvenile system, fight waiver into adult court, and pursue outcomes focused on rehabilitation and a protected record. We treat your child — and your family — with the care this moment demands.
Our Team
Strang Bradley’s Criminal Defense Lawyers
Answers
Juvenile Defense FAQs
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Can my child be tried as an adult?
Yes. In certain cases, a child can be charged as an adult. In other cases, a case can begin in juvenile court and be moved to adult court.
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Will this be on my child's record forever?
Juvenile records have special confidentiality protections, but they are not automatically erased, and they can have lasting effects. We work to minimize the record and pursue options to keep your child's future open.
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Can police question my child without me there?
Often yes. This is a sensitive and evolving area, and statements made by juveniles are frequently challengeable. You should never let your child be interrogated without an attorney; contact us before any questioning.
Facing a juvenile investigation or charge? Talk to us first.
Consultations are confidential. The sooner we are involved, the more we can do to protect your rights and your future.