Week in Review: February 13-17
Happy Friday! With NC having all this good weather, a long introduction before the pre-weekend read is unnecessary. Let’s get to it!Tip of the Week: How Do I Know the State Will be Seeking the Gang Enhancement Against My Juvenile?Under current law, there is no process for notice to the juvenile and the juvenile’s attorney that the state is seeking gang enhancement. As the juvenile’s attorney, you should consider the following: 1. Get a copy of the gang assessment from DJJ prior to adjudication2
From A Lawyer’s View: A Trip Down Juvenile History, by Burcu Hensley
The holidays are always a great time to listen to stories of the past and reflect on personal and family history. It’s a great way to learn about oneself through the stories of where we came from and why we are the way we are. The same principle holds true at the Office of the Juvenile Defender – stories from the past and our history, as a nation, as a state, and as juvenile defenders – help to remind us of our purpose and mission. While the majority of the current staff at OJD are relatively ne
From a Lawyer’s View: Secure Custody & Documentation
Written by Starr Ward, Attorney at LawWe all get the early morning phone call to come to court for a secured custody hearing for a juvenile that got picked up overnight or over the weekend. These hearings are usually done quickly and we, as the defense attorney, are usually playing a game of catch-up to review the petitions and to figure out what happened and how we can get our client released from secured custody. Recently, I have had several cases where the paperwork on the charging petition