Juvenile Law

Representation in Kansas Juvenile Court

Terms You Should Know

Guardian ad litem: A lawyer who represents your child in court for free.

Diversion: In juvenile crime cases, if the young person is sentenced to a diversion program and he or she successfully completes it, there will be no permanent court record. Different diversion programs have different requirements, which may include work, study, treatment, or counseling.

Probation: In a juvenile law case, if the young person is assigned to probation he or she will be required to complete specific activities and to check in with a probation officer at a specified time. Probation does appear on a juvenile’s criminal record.

SRS Custody: If a child is removed from your home, he or she is placed in the custody of the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS).

Case Plan: If your children have been removed from your care, you and your attorney will work with a social worker to develop a case plan to resolve the problems in your home so your children can be returned.

Reintegration Plan: If you have followed your case plan, a formal plan will be approved by the court to get your children returned to your home.

Juvenile Law Defense Attorney and Parents in CINC Cases

At The Law Offices of Valerie L. Moore, LLC, I represent parents and young people in juvenile court when young people are facing juvenile criminal charges and when parents are facing state sanctions in Child in Need of Care (“CINC”) cases. I am a strong advocate in court to protect your interests.

Juvenile Offenders

A criminal charge does not necessarily mean your child is guilty. Teenagers can be the victims of misperceptions by others and often get into trouble because of associations with other people. Give your young person the benefit of a doubt and hire a juvenile defense lawyer to investigate the case. Do not risk a juvenile record if it can be avoided. Contact me for immediate legal help.

When a young person is guilty of a crime, the goal of juvenile court is to help that young person turn his or her life around. That does not mean a judge will go easy on the youth, but it does mean that a juvenile defense attorney can work with the court and the prosecutor to negotiate creative alternatives to sentencing in many cases.

As your juvenile defense lawyer, I will help you understand your rights in court and your options in sentencing (e.g., probation, diversion, community service). I will provide you a strong defense against criminal charges, including:

Theft, auto theft, shoplifting
Assault and battery
Drug charges for possession of marijuana, cocaine, or other drugs
Criminal damage to property, including graffiti
Underage drinking
DUI/DWI
Harassment
Arson
School-related offenses

Juvenile Law, Child Protection and Child in Need of Care Cases

When police or child protection workers suspect a child has been neglected or abused, the State of Kansas may bring a CINC case against the child's parents or guardians. If you are facing charges of abuse or neglect of a child, you do have rights, including the right to a lawyer and the right to a hearing.

If you do not have money to afford a lawyer, the court will appoint a lawyer for you, but often these lawyers are very overworked. Whenever possible, it is best to hire an attorney of your own. As a private family law attorney, I can give you the attention you need to preserve your rights in a child protection case.

If the juvenile law court judge finds you guilty of the charges against you, the court can remove your children from your care until you have completed tasks identified in a case plan, such as drug treatment or anger management counseling.

Sometimes the Department of Human Services goes overboard and asks the court to require things that are not really helpful or necessary to improve the situation. As your advocate, I will fight unreasonable requirements so that you have the best chance possible to be reunited with your child.

Contact my office to learn more about CINC laws and how I can defend you against charges from child protection officers.