Georgia residents who "knowingly and willfully encourage, cause, abet, connive, or aid a minor" to commit a delinquent act by "hiring, conspiring with, or directing" an underage person of either sex to commit a crime may be accused of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Atlanta attorney Tracy Teiger at the Teiger Law Center encourages you to seek legal advice before discussing your case with anyone, including law enforcement. The way you answer their questions may make a difference in whether you are charged with a misdemeanor or felony, or have all charges dropped.
If you have been accused of encouraging illegal behavior in a child, you need legal representation. Providing a weapon to a minor to commit any felony that encompasses force or violence, selling or providing alcohol or drugs, encouraging or engaging a minor to commit vandalism or robbery, identity theft (such as fake IDs), sex crimes, such as statutory rape (even talking about sex) or sexual coercion, or not acting to stop a child delinquency are considered to be contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Atlanta-area attorneys at the Teiger Law Center want you to know that the prosecution has an uphill challenge, and we intend to reveal all the reasons why. Defense strategy will depend upon the details of your case, of course, and may range from questioning whether the charge can stand if no delinquent act came from the encouragement to the reliability of witnesses.
Cumming Criminal Defense Attorney
The Teiger Law Center in Alpharetta, contributing to the delinquency of a minor defense attorneys, know that punishment varies, depending on the number of convictions. First and second offenses are tried as misdemeanors; fines do not exceed $1,000 or incarceration not to exceed 12 months. A second conviction that does not result in the serious injury or death of a child, results in charges of a high and aggravated misdemeanor. If the death of a child results from contributing to the delinquency of an underage person, however, the charge will be a felony, regardless of the number of previous offenses. Third or more offenses are charged as felonies and fined not less than $1,000 or more than $5,000, or with imprisonment for one to three years, or both.
Contact an Alpharetta Delinquency of a Minor Defense Lawyer
In addition to fines and imprisonment from a criminal case, conviction may bring civil suits, probation, restitution, and damage to your professional reputation. We believe in discretion and will pursue settlement before your case goes to court, working hard to negotiate on your behalf. If necessary, though, we are aggressive defenders of your rights in a Georgia courtroom and will invoke several strategies, depending on the circumstances of the charges brought against you. Contact our Alpharetta or Cumming law offices today to discuss the details of your case.
