Indiana Juvenile Defense Lawyers
A Juvenile Case Can Shape a Child’s Future Long After Court.
Custom Law protects minors facing Indiana delinquency proceedings, detention, and possible transfer to adult court.
Juvenile Charges in Indiana
A person under 18 accused of violating Indiana law may enter the juvenile system as an alleged delinquent child. Although juvenile dispositions are designed differently from adult punishment, a child may still face detention, Department of Correction placement, license loss, removal from home, and a record that affects future opportunities.
Police need a warrant or probable cause to take a minor into custody and must notify a parent or legal guardian. Officers may release the child to a parent or place the child in juvenile detention. When detained, the first hearing must occur within 48 hours.
Conduct That Can Lead to Juvenile Court
- Conduct that would be a crime if committed by an adult
- Curfew or repeated runaway allegations
- Truancy and repeated disobedience
- Underage drinking
- After-hours park or noise violations
The Juvenile Court Process
- Detention hearing: Held within 48 hours to decide whether the child may return home.
- Initial hearing: Charges are presented and counsel responds.
- Waiver hearing: The prosecution may request transfer to adult court.
- Fact-finding hearing: A judge hears evidence and decides whether the child violated the law.
- Dispositional hearing: The judge selects consequences.
Possible Juvenile Dispositions
Consequences may include juvenile detention, restitution, counseling, substance-abuse treatment, community service, license suspension, or group or foster-home placement.
Transfer to Adult Court
- At least age 10 when charged with murder.
- At least age 14 for a felony alleged to be heinous when rehabilitation in the juvenile system is considered unreasonable.
- At least age 16 for a felony when adult prosecution is claimed to serve society’s best interest.
Protecting a Child at Every Stage
Defense counsel can contest detention, challenge the evidence, present a safe supervision plan, argue against adult-court waiver, and advocate for rehabilitation rather than confinement. Keeping a child in juvenile court can avoid adult prison exposure, larger fines, and a permanent adult conviction.
Prepared for What Comes Next
What to Expect from Custom Law
Criminal defense requires more than a quick review of the charging paperwork. Our attorneys look at how the investigation started, how evidence was obtained, what the State must prove, and how the case may affect the client outside the courtroom.
Drawing on more than 20 years of legal experience, former-prosecutor insight, and extensive courtroom work, the team develops a tailored approach for negotiations, hearings, or trial while keeping clients informed from start to finish.
Former Prosecutor Insight
As former Indiana prosecutors, our criminal defense attorneys know the tactics that may be used against an accused person. The team has handled countless criminal cases and hundreds of successful jury trials.
Prepared for Court
We organize the facts, analyze the law, and prepare each matter with the possibility of hearings or trial in mind.
Direct Communication
Clients receive clear explanations, candid advice, and updates needed to make informed decisions throughout the case.
Client Reviews
What Our Clients Say
From day one they treated my case like it mattered. They fought hard, kept me informed, and got my charges dismissed. I can't recommend this team enough.
James R.
True trial attorneys. The prosecutor clearly did not want to face them. Professional, prepared, and genuinely on my side the whole time.
Michael T.
Responsive, honest, and incredibly knowledgeable. They handled my OWI charge with skill and got me a result I didn't think was possible.
David K.