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Juvenile Defense

Your child deserves a future, not a rap sheet.

Nothing can prepare a parent for that call. When your child has been arrested for a crime, you must not only think about his or her immediate needs. Where are they? Are they hurt? Are they being treated well? Are they scared? These are all legitimate concerns, however, you must also think about their future and how a criminal record could impact their life forever.

As a father, Jerod Gunsberg understands this feeling, but as an attorney, he knows that the best thing you can do for your child if your child is facing charges in the juvenile courts is to secure a qualified juvenile defense lawyer who can address your child’s immediate needs today and thinks about the impact every decision has on their tomorrow.

Rather than limiting their view to the charges at hand, Jerod Gunsberg and his associates delve into all the factors that have led to this point and focus on helping prosecutors, judges, juries, probation officers and counselors see the whole child, not just one moment. Leveraging his knowledge of the various legal avenues available, Mr. Gunsberg and his attorneys work with multiple parties to establish the least punitive and most rehabilitative course of action. In that vein, they routinely address:

  • Arraignment and detention procedures and hearings
  • Jurisdictional procedures and hearings
  • Disposition procedures and hearings
  • “Ward of the court” declarations
  • Non-wardship probations
  • Sentencing and ongoing monitoring

Attorneys and Juvenile Delinquency Court Cases

Make no mistake, despite the fact that the juvenile justice system in California is supposed to focus on rehabilitation, the vast majority of those in the District Attorney’s Office do not see it that way: they want punishment, often with substantial long-term consequences.

There are substantial collateral and long-term consequences in juvenile delinquency cases that only an experienced juvenile advocate can foresee. In other words, you need an attorney who can tell your child’s unique story. An attorney who has an eye not only on your child’s present situation, but also on your child’s future. In juvenile delinquency court, that’s the only way to get the best possible result.

Juvenile criminal defense differs from adult criminal defense in significant ways. A skilled adult criminal defense attorney may not be skilled in juvenile court. It is imperative that your child is represented by an attorney who is not only skilled in both criminal law and juvenile delinquency law, but also knows how to effectively advocate for your child.

Expertise in Juvenile Defense and Recent Results

Jerod Gunsberg has spent much of his legal career focused on the particular concerns of juvenile defendants and the best way in which to safeguard their rights and their futures. Mr. Gunsberg is a Los Angeles based criminal defense attorney who has unique training and skills in defending children in the juvenile delinquency system. He is also an active participant in efforts towards juvenile justice reform. In addition to his private practice, he has defended children accused of crimes for organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Public Counsel and is frequently retained by other criminal defense attorneys as a consultant on juvenile cases. Mr. Gunsberg is an alumni of Loyola Law School’s nationally recognized Center for Juvenile Law and Policy.

Recent examples of results of Mr. Gunsberg’s work in Los Angeles County juvenile courts include:

  • No charges filed against minor charged with sexual assault against high school classmate. Minor not expelled from school.
  • Case dismissed against minor charged with sexual assault of middle school classmate. Minor not expelled from school.
  • Attempted murder charge and all gang allegations dismissed against 16-year-old alleged to have been involved in gang-related drive-by shooting. Case kept in juvenile court.
  • Involuntary manslaughter case dismissed against high school student accused of causing heroin overdose of another teen.
  • Case dismissed against minor accused of sexual assault on a neighbor.
  • Case dismissed against minor accused of selling marijuana at school. Minor not expelled from school.
  • Case dismissed against minor accused of battery with great bodily injury at school. Minor not expelled from school.
  • Case dismissed against minor accused of possessing a weapon at school. Minor not expelled from school.
  • Case dismissed against minor accused of sexual assault on a family member.
  • No charges filed against minor accused of identity theft.
  • No charges filed against minor accused of unlawfully possessing a firearm.
  • Charges reduced to infraction for minor accused of DUI.
  • In a gang-related kidnapping case, client remained in juvenile court despite efforts to transfer case to adult court. Client will be eligible to earn dismissal.
  • Successful reduction of charge and opportunity to earn dismissal for 16-year-old client facing robbery charge which would have resulted in an adult strike.

More About Juvenile Delinquency in California

For more information about juvenile delinquency laws in California, refer to the following related resources:

California’s juvenile courts system moves fast and handles thousands of cases each year. It is all too easy for the decision makers to see your child as another statistic. Which is why it is so important that you hire an attorney who doesn’t. Jerod Gunsberg has fought for juvenile defendants for years and is dedicated to protecting their rights. Let him protect your child too.

If your child has been charged with a criminal offense in Los Angeles County or anywhere in California, call Los Angeles juvenile defense attorney Jerod Gunsberg can help. Contact Mr. Gunsberg at (323) 633-3423 for a free and confidential consultation or get in touch via the secure contact form on this page. Help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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