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Manchester and Associates

Manchester and Associates

Pennsylvania Criminal & DUI Defense

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    • Brian V. Manchester, Esq.
    • Gregory E. Davidson, Esq.
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Juvenile Cases

The juvenile justice system in Pennsylvania is focused more on the rehabilitative needs of the juvenile than on punishment for the offense. Because of this difference from “adult” court, the words used in the juvenile system may not be familiar to those who watch Law and Order and see trials with defendants.

Below is a list of the terms that are used in the system and what they mean:

  1. A “juvenile” is a person who is between 10 and 21 years old.  
  2. A “delinquent act” is any act that would be a crime if committed by an adult. However, certain offenses, if committed by someone at least 15 years of age, do not fall under this definition and may be filed in “adult” court.  In those cases, the juvenile would be treated the same as any other adult who was charged with those offenses.
  3. A “written allegation” is a document filed by law enforcement alleging that a juvenile has committed a delinquent act. 
  4. A “Petition” is a document filed by the Commonwealth or a juvenile probation officer which alleges that a juvenile is “delinquent”
  5. A “delinquent child” is juvenile who had been found to have committed a delinquent act AND is in need of treatment, supervision or rehabilitation.
  6. An “adjudication hearing” is a proceeding where the Court determines if a delinquent act has been committed and whether the juvenile is in need of treatment, supervision, or rehabilitation.  A juvenile is not entitled to a jury in these proceedings and will always appear before a Judge sitting without a jury.
  7. A “disposition hearing” is a proceeding in which the court issues its final decisions in the case.  Possible dispositions include supervision by the probation department and placement in treatment facilities.
  8. A “detention facility” is a facility that is approved by the Court to temporarily detain a juvenile.
  9. If a Juvenile is “detained” a hearing, generally referred to as a detention hearing, must be held by the Court within 72 hours to determine if the detention is proper and whether the detention should continue.

What to expect if your child is alleged to have committed a delinquent act

The first issue you may encounter is if your child is detained.  A child may be placed in detention, prior to a formal adjudication of delinquency, where the detention is required “to protect the person or property of others or of the child or because the child may abscond or be removed from the jurisdiction of the court or because he has no parent, guardian or custodian or other person able to provide supervision and care for him and return him to the court when required or an order for his detention…. has been made by the court…”  In essence, a child may be detained prior to a finding of delinquency when the child is a danger to himself or others, where the child may run away from home, or where there is not a suitable adult to supervise the child while the delinquency process proceeds.

If a child is detained, the court must hold a detention hearing within 72 hours to determine if the detention is proper and whether the detention should continue.  During the detention hearing, the court will also determine if there is probable cause to believe that the child committed a delinquent act.  In some jurisdiction this hearing may be held before a “master” rather than before a juvenile court Judge.  A “master” is an attorney who is assigned to hear certain matters in lieu of a Judge.  A party may object to a matter being heard by a master and request a hearing before a Judge.  However, that may delay the proceedings.  At the conclusion of the detention hearing, the court may order that the detention continue pending an adjudication hearing or may release the child to the custody of a parent or guardian pending the adjudication hearing.

The next step in the process is an adjudication hearing.  The timing for scheduling an adjudication hearing depends on whether the child is detained.  If the child is detained an adjudication hearing is to be scheduled within 10 days of the filing of the petition.  If the child is not detained the adjudication hearing is to be scheduled within a reasonable time.  As a practical matter, most courts attempt to schedule an adjudication hearing as soon as possible regardless of whether the child is detained or not.  Counsel for either side may request a continuance if they are not ready to proceed to a full adjudication hearing on the scheduled date.  At the adjudication hearing the burden is on the Commonwealth to prove to the court, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the child committed a delinquent act and that the child is in need of treatment, supervision, or rehabilitation.  A child may elect to forgo a full adjudication hearing and enter an admission to all or some of the allegations.    Following an adjudication hearing or an admission, the court will enter an order formally finding the child to be delinquent or not delinquent. 

If the child is found delinquent the next step in the process is a dispositional hearing.  The purpose of this hearing is to determine how to provide balanced attention to the protection of the community, the imposition of accountability for offenses committed and the development of competencies to enable the child to become a responsible and productive member of the community.  In order to aid the court in fashioning an appropriate order the court may order a social case study to be prepared or may order the child to undergo a health, psychological, psychiatric, drug and alcohol, or any other examination it deems appropriate to aid the court.  A dispositional hearing is to be held within 20 days of the finding of delinquency if the child is detained.  If the child is not detained the dispositional hearing is to be held within 60 days of the finding of delinquency.  Possible dispositions include supervision by the probation department and placement in treatment facilities.

Each situation is unique to their set of facts. It is important that you hire an experienced team to join you in the fight against the Government. The team at Manchester and Associates has decades of experience and training infighting these types of cases. Should you find yourself in a situation where you need legal representation you need to contact criminal defense attorneys who know the law inside and out. To discuss your specific situation, contact our team for a free consultation at our toll free number (800)-243-4878 or through the contact tab at the top of the page.

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Manchester and Associates

1-(800)-243-4878
124 West Bishop Street
Bellefonte, PA, 16823

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Testimonials

Manchester and Associates
Manchester and Associates
5.0
Based on 93 reviews
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rodney baker
rodney baker
23:05 24 Nov 20
Persistent ! That is the word, Brian Manchester is very persistent . He will leave no stone unturned , and fight for... justice and be sure that you don't just get a run of the mill sentence .or just lay down for what ever the DA offers, i was involved in a DUI arrest over 2 years ago ! Brian would not give up, There was many trips to the court house and every step of the way he kept me very informed . Brian's courtroom performance is very professional and at time's theatrical and dare i say entertaining ! and in the end he and I WON a victory that didn't end with being charged with DUI :) Thank you again Brian for being persistent and all that you done for me .read more
Ashley Gunnett
Ashley Gunnett
03:06 13 Nov 20
Attorney Kuebler represented me in a case that could have potentially ended in license suspension and jail time. She... was able to negotiate a deal and got all charges (including a DUI) dismissed, except for a summary offense. It was the best possible outcome. I HIGHLY recommend Manchester and Associates!read more
Olivia Matthews
Olivia Matthews
19:30 04 Nov 20
Very helpful and is a great guy. He is always in contact and has great connections. I can't thank him enough for all... the help he's given me. I highly recommend Manchester and Associates.read more
Bob Dearman
Bob Dearman
14:07 27 Oct 20
I would highly recommend Manchester & Associates to everybody. They were recommended to me by another law firm. When I... made the call to talk to them, I was pleasantly surprised when I was able to discuss my case directly with Attorney Manchester himself. We talk about what my option were, and they said it would be no problem to represent me in this case. They did not have much time to prepare before my preliminary hearing and I was instructed to look for Attorney Davidson at the hearing location a half hour before it was time. When I found Attorney Davidson he explained to me what their plan was and I also found from listening to Greg talk to other attorneys how very well versed in the law and the situation that I found myself in he was. Much to my surprise I was able to plead guilty to a much lesser misdemeanor and walked out paying less than 10% of what I could have been looking at and more important, I faced on incarceration time what so ever. They did exactly what Brian told me they would do. Again, thank you Attorney Manchester and the very knowledgeable Attorney Davidson.read more
Jimmy Figueroa
Jimmy Figueroa
10:15 30 Sep 20
This law firm help me with a bad situation and it was done within days. The best law firm I've dealt with. I highly... recommend them to anyone.read more
Becky Hemphill
Becky Hemphill
22:28 29 Sep 20
We hired Brian Manchester when my daughter was charged with crimes after being a passenger in a motor vehicle accident... when she was actually a victim. She was (and is) still recovering when she was charged. Because she was in a wheelchair and recovering, Brian came to OUR HOME in the middle of nowhere on a Saturday to meet with us. He looked at the evidence and realized her being charged at all was wrong.. He got the charges dismissed without my daughter ever stepping foot in a Courthouse, as they never should have occurred in the first place, and she is now being treated like the victim she truly is. We cannot thank him enough and would highly recommend him and his associates! He does what it takes to get the best results possible. It doesn't get better than having the charges completely dismissed and expunged. Definitely worth it.read more
Ralph Larsen
Ralph Larsen
18:34 10 Sep 20
Almost 2 years ago, I found myself in need of a lawyer to fight a case for me, that if I lost, it could've cost me my... job. When I met with Brian I was impressed with his confidence and experience on cases similar to mine. I decided to use him as my lawyer, and it was the best decision I could have made. Over the course of 2 years he stuck with my case, stayed in contact with me on new developments, and always answered any questions I had. Once we had exhausted all options on attempting to settle the case, my only option was go to trial. When I asked Brian what he thought my chances were, his response was "I don't go trial to lose." He wasn't kidding, 2 days ago Brian spent 6 hours in court on my behalf and utilizing his experience and expert witness, I was found not guilty! I am beyond grateful to Brian for his work, and would recommend him to anyone that finds themselves in need of representation.read more
Siavash Varasteh
Siavash Varasteh
18:16 16 Aug 20
Great attorney. Constantly communicates with the client about the progress at each step and more importantly, he... delivers. Tip: Don’t interrupt him when he’s talking. He’s not fond of that. Let the man finish! Overal, I highly recommend Brian.read more
Jason Franklin
Jason Franklin
00:24 30 Jul 20
Brian represented me in a case that could have turned out really bad for me. He was upfront with me about everything.... Very professional but easy to talk to and always available to answer questions. If he couldn't speak to me at that moment he promptly returned my call in a timely fashion. He was able to negotiate a deal that was better than the best possible outcome I could have asked for. he definitely knows his way around a court room and everyone in the courtroom in Lycoming County including the DA and judge had a lot of respect for him and a good working relationship with him. I could not be more pleased with his representation and the outcome he somehow negotiated for me. I can not recommend him enough. If you are in a situation like me and need a lawyer give this firm a call immediately. I promise you will not be disappointed.read more
Angela Baker
Angela Baker
20:47 16 Jul 20
I can’t say enough good things about this law firm and the attorney who represented me on two different charges. ... Greg Davidson was the attorney on my cases. He kept in touch with me, he returned my phone calls and was there any time I needed assistance. If you find yourself in a position where you, unfortunately, need legal counsel, I highly recommend this law firm. They are professional, reliable, and have reasonable fees.read more
Tanya Fye
Tanya Fye
21:04 09 Jul 20
Very positive, responsive and effective. Delivered what Attorney Manchester said he could and made what was a... terrifying experience, less intrusive and invasive !! Thorough and quick response time. I was kept well informed at all times . Answered all questions in detail regardless of the amount of times that I asked , professional and courtesy!! Highly recommend!read more
Derek Ross
Derek Ross
18:56 06 Jun 20
Brian was extremely helpful with my legal issue. He always answered phone calls, texts, and emails in a timely manner.... For someone that wasn't all too familiar with how various aspects of the legal system worked, Brian did a great job communicating everything to me and offering explanations along the way. I am very happy with how he handled everything with my case and would use his services again in the future if needed.read more
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124 West Bishop Street
Bellefonte, PA, 16823

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