If your child has been arrested in the Orlando area for robbery in violation of Florida Statute 812.13 do not hesitate to get them an experienced attorney to fight the case. Robbery charges are very serious and your child could face some serious consequences.
“Robbery” is defined as the taking the money or property of another by use of force, violence, assault, or by putting someone in fear, with the intent to deprive the person of the money or property. If a weapon is used then it can be considered “armed robbery”. Robbery is one of the offenses that can result in your child being charged as an adult under certain sets of circumstances. However, if your child remains in the juvenile system the case will progress as follows:
When a child is arrested for a robbery 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.
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.
Robbery charges are very severe. They can result in your child’s expulsion from school and extracurricular activities such as sports and music. It can keep them out of certain colleges and prevent them from obtaining future financial aid. Don’t try to fight it alone. Help your child to get the best possible representation so they can get the best possible outcome.
Call the experienced and compassionate staff of Finebloom & Haenel. We work hard for our clients. We take pride in our experience, but more so in our ability to truly help people understand their options. Call us today for a free consultation. Attorneys are available 24/7 to take your call. Call 407-218-6277 to explore your options today!
