Oakland County Juvenile Defense Lawyer

Is your child facing criminal charges? Christopher Brown is an Oakland County juvenile defense lawyer and former police officer who helps young clients avoid records that can follow them for life.

Protecting the Rights and Futures of Michigan’s Youth

When someone accuses your child of a crime, few moments in life feel more frightening. You want answers — and you want to protect your child’s future. Will they face jail? Will they have a permanent record? In Michigan, a juvenile accusation can have serious and lasting consequences. However, with the right defense, your child may avoid or minimize many of those outcomes.

At Brown & Associates Legal Services, attorney Christopher Brown brings over 25 years of law-enforcement and courtroom experience to every juvenile case. As a former police officer, Attorney Brown understands how investigators build cases, how prosecutors make charging decisions, and how to strategically dismantle those claims before they define your child’s future.

Recent Juvenile Defense Results

School Weapon Charge Dismissed Through the Consent Calendar — Oakland County

Our juvenile client was charged with possessing a weapon on school property after making an edged metal piece.

We investigated and showed that the shop teacher knew the student was making it as part of class activities. The case was placed on the consent calendar and then dismissed.

Why this matters: The full story often looks very different from the first report. Finding the right witness can keep a child’s case off the formal court record.

School Threat Petition Dismissed After an Evaluation — Oakland County

Our juvenile client was charged with making a threat at school. Given the nature of the statement, we had our client professionally evaluated.

The clinical report found it was an act of immaturity, not a real threat. The court dismissed the petition without ordering any services.

Why this matters: School threat cases are taken very seriously. A professional evaluation can give the court and the prosecutor the information they need to see the child clearly.

Joyride Petition Dismissed — Oakland County

Our juvenile client took a parent’s car for a drive without permission and without a driver’s license, and police stopped him.

We presented the court with his academic, athletic, and community achievements. The court dismissed the petition without referring him to any services.

Why this matters: One bad decision should not define a young person’s future. Showing the court who your child really is can lead to a dismissal.

See more of our case results

Understanding Juvenile Proceedings in Michigan

In Michigan, the family division of the circuit court handles criminal cases involving minors (under age 18) as juvenile delinquency matters. The goal of these proceedings is rehabilitation — not punishment. That means there are opportunities to protect your child’s record, secure diversion, and focus on counseling or education rather than incarceration.

The court that handles your child’s case typically depends on where the alleged offense occurred. For example, if the incident took place in Oakland County, the case will usually proceed in the Oakland County Circuit Court, Family Division. However, in some cases the court can transfer the matter to the county where the juvenile resides.

Raise the Age: 17-Year-Olds Now Go to Juvenile Court

Since October 1, 2021, Michigan’s juvenile court generally handles cases involving anyone under 18. Before that change, 17-year-olds were automatically charged as adults.

There are still exceptions. For certain serious offenses, the prosecutor can seek to try a youth as an adult. Ask right away whether your child’s case is in juvenile court or adult court, because it changes everything that follows.

The Juvenile Court Process, Step by Step

Every case is different, but most follow this general path:

An adjudication is not the same as an adult criminal conviction. However, it is not consequence-free. It can lead to court supervision, placement, restitution, and a juvenile record.

That is why an Oakland County juvenile defense lawyer should be involved before the first hearing.

When a Juvenile Can Be Tried as an Adult in Michigan

Certain serious allegations allow prosecutors to charge minors as adults. Depending on the nature of the offense and the juvenile’s age, this can happen through several legal mechanisms:

• Automatic Waiver – For juveniles 14 years or older accused of serious felonies such as murder, armed robbery, or first-degree criminal sexual conduct, the prosecutor can bypass juvenile court and file the case in district court like an adult case.
• Prosecutor Designation – For “specified juvenile violations,” the prosecutor may request adult treatment while keeping the case in family court. If convicted, the court decides between a juvenile disposition or an adult conviction.
• Court Designation – The prosecutor can petition the court to try the juvenile as an adult for other serious offenses. The judge must determine that doing so is in the best interests of both the juvenile and the public.
• Traditional Waiver – The prosecutor may ask the court to waive jurisdiction entirely and transfer the case to adult criminal court. This involves a two-step process: a probable-cause hearing and a best-interests hearing.

These processes can dramatically affect your child’s future — including whether they face juvenile rehabilitation or adult prison. Attorney Brown’s firsthand understanding of police investigations and prosecutorial decision-making provides a decisive advantage when challenging these designations.

Juvenile Sex-Offense Allegations and the Sex-Offender Registry

Juvenile sex-offense cases are particularly sensitive. In Michigan, the law can require minors to register as sex offenders under certain circumstances. This is especially true after an adult-court conviction, or if the offense meets the criteria of a Tier III violation under MCL 28.722(w). Attorney Brown aggressively fights to protect his clients from mandatory registration, which can permanently affect education, employment, and community standing.

Possible Outcomes and Diversion Options

A juvenile case often begins with a petition filed in family court. From there, the case may end in dismissal, a plea agreement, or trial. If the court finds the juvenile responsible, the judge imposes a disposition — similar to sentencing — that focuses on rehabilitation.

Michigan law also allows for important alternatives to formal adjudication:

• Juvenile Diversion – The child avoids court altogether and completes community programs designed to correct behavior.
• Consent Calendar – The child complies with conditions similar to probation. If the juvenile completes it successfully, the court enters no formal adjudication.

Because juvenile records can still be seen by courts, police, and prosecutors, securing a deferral or diversion can be critical to protecting your child’s long-term opportunities.

Disposition Options

If the court finds an allegation proved, possible dispositions include:

• Probation or court supervision, often with school attendance, curfew, or counseling conditions
• Treatment or services, such as substance use or mental health services
• Community service
• Restitution
• Out-of-home or residential placement, when authorized and warranted
• Detention, in more serious cases

Placement is not automatic. The right preparation can show the court that a community-based option will work.

Diversion and the Consent Calendar

Diversion handles an eligible case informally, outside formal court. Certain serious offenses cannot be diverted.

The consent calendar is an informal court process. It requires the agreement of the youth, a parent, and the prosecutor, and the court must find it appropriate. If the youth completes the written case plan, the court closes the case without a formal disposition.

Statements the youth makes during the consent calendar generally cannot be used against them if the case returns to the formal calendar. A nonpublic State Police record is still kept, so “consent calendar” does not mean every record disappears.

As our school weapon result shows, the consent calendar can be the path to a dismissal.

Juvenile Records: Who Can See Them and How They Are Set Aside

Juvenile court records are generally not open to the public. But “nonpublic” does not mean no one can see them. Courts, law enforcement, prosecutors, and child welfare agencies can access them for certain purposes.

Michigan also offers two ways to set aside a juvenile adjudication:

• Automatic set-aside: Many juvenile adjudications are set aside automatically, without an application, two years after court supervision ends or when the person turns 18, whichever is later. Certain serious offenses are excluded.
• Application: Other eligible adjudications can be set aside by filing an application with the court.

Even after a set-aside, the State Police keep a nonpublic record that only certain agencies can see. The best protection is avoiding a formal adjudication in the first place.

MIP, Marijuana, and Vaping Charges

Michigan law prohibits minors from buying, possessing, or consuming alcohol, often called MIP (minor in possession). A first offense is generally a civil infraction, and many cases qualify for a deferral that keeps them off the record.

Marijuana is legal only for adults 21 and older, so younger people can face consequences for possessing or using it.

Michigan also restricts minors from buying and possessing vaping and nicotine products. The consequences depend on the conduct and the charge, from a civil infraction to a juvenile court case.

School Discipline and a Juvenile Case

A school can investigate and discipline a student for the same incident that leads to a juvenile case. Suspension or expulsion is a separate process, and the outcome of one does not decide the other.

What your child says to school officials can affect the court case, and the reverse is also true. Ask the school for the written allegations, the policy at issue, and the evidence, and coordinate any school meetings with your lawyer.

Two of our recent results above began as school incidents.

When Police Want to Question Your Child

Police may want to interview a young person to find out what happened, identify witnesses, or get an admission.

As a former Detroit police officer (1996–2003), Christopher Brown knows how these interviews work and how easily a nervous young person can say something incomplete or inaccurate.

A child questioned in custody has the right to remain silent and the right to a lawyer. A parent being in the room does not replace those rights or legal advice.

Common Parent Mistakes

• Telling a child to “just tell the truth” to police before talking to a lawyer. A well-meant instruction can lead to an unprepared or misunderstood statement.
• Answering questions for the child or suggesting facts they don’t remember
• Assuming the interview is informal or “off the record”
• Assuming the child is free to leave without asking
• Contacting the complainant or witnesses about the incident
• Posting about the case on social media, or deleting texts and photos
• Treating diversion or the consent calendar as having no consequences

What to Do If Police Contact Your Child

• Ask whether your child is free to leave or is being detained.
• Ask for a lawyer before any questioning about the alleged offense.
• If questioning has started, your child should clearly say they want a lawyer and will not answer questions.
• Tell your child not to lie, guess, or discuss the incident with anyone.
• Save texts, photos, and videos. Do not delete anything.

Oakland County Juvenile Court and Children’s Village

In Oakland County, juvenile delinquency cases are handled by the Family Division of the Oakland County Circuit Court. Children’s Village is the county’s juvenile detention and treatment facility, operated by Oakland County.

Being taken to Children’s Village is not a finding that a child did anything wrong. Detention and adjudication are separate decisions.

If your child has been detained, ask where they are being held, how to communicate with them, when the next court date is, and whether the case is being considered for diversion or the consent calendar. An Oakland County juvenile defense lawyer can get those answers quickly.

The Brown & Associates Advantage

Attorney Christopher Brown has investigated juvenile offenses from both sides — first as a police officer, now as a criminal-defense attorney. His insight into interrogation tactics, charging discretion, and police procedures gives him the ability to anticipate the prosecution’s next move and expose weaknesses in their case. Every strategy focuses on one goal: protecting your child’s freedom and future.

Contact an Oakland County Juvenile Defense Lawyer Today

If your son or daughter faces a juvenile charge or a police investigation, time is critical. Early intervention can mean the difference between a permanent record and a fresh start.

Contact Brown & Associates Legal Services today to speak directly with Attorney Christopher Brown, a former police officer and experienced Michigan juvenile-defense attorney.  Call 248-468-1468 for a confidential consultation or reach out online to get immediate help.

Frequently Asked Questions About Juvenile Cases in Michigan

Will my child have a permanent record?

Not necessarily. Diversion and the consent calendar can keep a case off the formal record, and many juvenile adjudications are later set aside automatically. However, some records are kept in nonpublic form.

Can a 17-year-old be tried as an adult in Michigan?

Generally, no. Since 2021, most cases involving 17-year-olds go to juvenile court. For certain serious offenses, however, the prosecutor can seek adult treatment.

Are juvenile records public in Michigan?

Generally, no. Juvenile court records are nonpublic, but courts, police, and prosecutors can access them for certain purposes.

Should my child talk to police to explain what happened?

Not without a lawyer. Even an innocent child can give a statement that hurts their case. Ask for a lawyer before any questioning.

Can my child’s case be resolved without going to court?

Often, yes. Depending on the offense, options include diversion and the consent calendar, both of which can lead to dismissal.

Choose an Oakland County Juvenile Defense Lawyer Who Acts Fast

In Michigan, the family division of circuit court handles most cases involving minors under MCL 712A.2. Young adults ages 18 to 25 may also qualify for the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act (MCL 762.11), which can keep a conviction off the public record. An Oakland County juvenile defense lawyer can guide your family through each step. Juvenile cases often involve retail fraud and theft, drug charges, or assault. Call (248) 468-1468 for a free consultation.