In the juvenile justice system in Illinois, the primary goal is to rehabilitate the child or teenager.
The juvenile justice system also protects the public. Important differences exist between the criminal justice system in adult courts and juvenile courts.
When choosing a criminal defense attorney for a juvenile court case in or around Illinois, consider the attorney's training and experience with these types of cases.
Attorneys often provide a free consultation and charge a flat rate for attorney fees and costs for juvenile delinquency and criminal defense cases.
Many of the top juvenile defense attorneys in the United States belong to the National Juvenile Defender Center (NJDC). Created in 1999, NJDC supports criminal defense attorneys who represent children in juvenile court. In 2005, the National Juvenile Defender Center separated from the American Bar Association (ABA) to become an independent organization.
NJDC gives juvenile defense attorneys a platform to exchange information, build partnerships, improve advocacy skills and participate in the national debate over juvenile justice.
The mission of the NJDC is to "promote justice for all children by ensuring excellence in juvenile defense." Learn more about the NJDC.
National Association of Counsel for Children - NACC is accredited by the ABA to certify attorneys as child welfare law specialists and works to improve the quality of legal representation of children in dependency, juvenile delinquency, and family law cases.
Founded in 1958, NACDL is the largest organization for criminal defense lawyers fighting to preserve fairness within America's criminal justice system. The organization has more than 10,000 direct members including criminal defense attorneys in private practice, public defenders in state or federal court, U.S. military defense counsel, law professors and judges.
IADCL seeks to preserve fairness in the criminal justice system and to educate the public and attorneys.
Lawyer Referral Service in Chicago - The Chicago Bar Association sponsors a non-profit Lawyer Referral Service. The public service refers individuals and businesses to local attorneys in Chicago, and the surrounding areas of Cook County, DuPage County, and Lake County, Illinois. More than 300 pre-screened attorneys participate in the Lawyer Referral Service. These attorneys serve on more than 40 different subject matter panels depending on their experience in a particular practice area. The attorneys that participate in the service have an average of 20 years experience.