If your child has been arrested for a charge of homicide in the Orlando area, you need to hire an experienced and aggressive attorney to represent them immediately1 At the law office of Finebloom & Haenel we are available for you.
Homicide is the term used to describe murder charges brought within the State of Florida. It is the taking of another life by intentional or unintentional means. Murder is a very serious charge carrying very serious consequences. In some instances your child could be charged as an adult and face life imprisonment if they are found guilty of this charge.
When a child is arrested for homicide charge, they are taken for an intake assessment at the Department of Juvenile Justice (Also called “DJJ”). DJJ has officers on staff that evaluate the child to determine:
- The severity of the crime
- If the crime was the child’s first
- Support systems in place for the child (such as does he have a parent or guardian willing to take care of them)
- The risk the child poses if released
The assessment results are listed in a scoresheet that is provided to the court.
If the assessment shows that the child should be released to “home detention” the child is released. Home detention is basically like house arrest for adults. But there must be a parent or guardian willing to take responsibility for the child.
If the assessment shows that the child should not be released, the child is taken to “secure detention.” This is the equivalent of adult jail. However, all of the people detained are children.
If your child remains in the juvenile system at this point, the case will proceed in the normal course for a juvenile. A juvenile case is usually resolved in 21 days unless the child or the attorney asks for an extension. So a child’s arraignment date is usually held within a week. At that point the child can plea guilty or not guilty.
If they plea guilty the case goes to “disposition.” Which is the term used for the juvenile’s sentencing hearing.
If they plea “not-guilty” the case goes to an “adjudicatory hearing.” This is the term used for a trial. However, juveniles are not entitled to a jury trial. All cases are heard in front of a judge.
If the child either pleas guilty to the charge, or if they are found to be guilty of the charge the case goes to the next phase which is the disposition hearing. This is the sentencing phase. Again, a scoresheet is used. The child can either be adjudicated delinquent or have delinquency withheld.
Then, depending on the recommendation from DJJ, the child will either be sentenced to a diversion program (such as teen court), placed on probation, or sent to a residential program. Residential programs have different levels of strictness to meet the needs of the child.
A crime of this type is serious and the consequences are severe. It takes time, money and resources to be able to properly defend these types of accusations. There is a social stigma that attaches to an accusation of this type, and the stress can affect everyone in the family. At the law offices of Finebloom & Haenel we have the skills, experience and resources necessary to obtain the best possible outcome for your child. Don’t wait. Your child’s rights are in jeopardy now.
Call the defense team of Finebloom & Haenel now to discuss your options. We are available 24/7 to take your call. 407-218-6277.
