Lawyer Kathryn Boortz on Atlanta Juvenile Courts: Decoding the Georgia Juvenile Justice Process
Juvenile courts in Georgia is the subject of Atlanta juvenile and criminal lawyer Kathryn Boortz’ audio, Decoding Georgia’s Juvenile Court System.
Kathryn Boortz founded and leads Atlanta’s leading criminal and juvenile defense firm – Boortz Law. Attorney Boortz offers this advice to parents whose son or daughter is facing a court date for a misdemeanor or felony or is in serious trouble at school in Atlanta or any Georgia city.
Juvenile courts in Georgia is the subject of Atlanta juvenile and criminal lawyer Kathryn Boortz’ audio, Decoding Georgia’s Juvenile Court System.
Kathryn Boortz founded and leads Atlanta’s leading criminal and juvenile defense firm – Boortz Law. Attorney Boortz offers this advice to parents whose son or daughter is facing a court date for a misdemeanor or felony or is in serious trouble at school in Atlanta or any Georgia city.
Is Your Son or Daughter Facing Charges in a Georgia Juvenile Court? A Lawyer’s Overview
If you are listening to my message today, you may be experiencing some level of fear and anxiety about your child’s future. Your child may be in some kind of trouble at school, or in an Atlanta area juvenile court, or perhaps both. You’ve tried talking to your child and the school administration, but you still don’t feel like you have a clear grasp of what is going on.
There’s a Juvenile Court date on your calendar and you have no idea what to expect. As a parent, you tend to fear the worst about how this event could affect your child’s future for years to come.
As an experienced juvenile defense attorney, I have worked with countless parents just like you. It is obvious that you care deeply about your child, or you would not have come across this message. Thank you for taking the time to research and educate yourself.
The Purpose of Georgia’s Juvenile Court System is to Rehabilitate, Not Punish
The first thing that you should know about the juvenile court system is the overarching purpose is to rehabilitate and not punish. Punishment is a goal of an adult court. Practically speaking, this means your son or daughter will be participating in a process that understand that children should be treated differently from adults, and the juvenile court system is focused on protecting the child and acting in their best interests.
Family involvement in the court process is encouraged and welcomed, and court proceedings are kept private and confidential.
Juvenile Court Date Coming Up? 3 Things to Know
If your child is facing charges in an Atlanta area juvenile court:
Number one: Take a deep breath. At this point, you don’t have all the pieces to the puzzle and speculating about potential outcomes will only make things worse. Try to remain calm, especially around your child so that you can best handle the situation with a clear head.
Number two: Gather any documents, business cards, court summons, citations, and any other relevant information that you may have regarding the legal situation that your child faces. In addition, collect your son or daughter’s current academic and disciplinary records.
Number three: Make a list of any questions you may have related to the facts, the legal process, and any other pending issues. You have likely spent a lot of time thinking and worrying about this, so get those thoughts out of your brain and on to paper so that you can take action.
How to Pick a Lawyer for Juvenile Court: An Experienced Juvenile Defense Lawyer is Critical
In Georgia, juvenile court proceedings happen quickly, and you don’t want to lose time vetting other criminal defense attorneys who may not feel comfortable in juvenile court. As I mentioned, the underlying purpose of juvenile court is vastly different than an adult court. And the rules, systems and procedures are as well. Do not waste your precious time with an attorney who does not consider themselves an expert in this area of law.
I too am a parent, and understand that our children are our most precious resource and that we would move whatever mountain that we needed to move to ensure that they have the best help possible. I am also an experienced criminal defense attorney with a focus on representing juveniles. I would be honored to speak to you about your child’s case. I have handled every type of criminal matter, from traffic tickets to homicide cases.
However, I find immense satisfaction in helping families navigate the juvenile justice system. It is my true passion. It is rewarding to work with a youth who is facing a legal situation and use the situation to get them back on track. I compare this to a speed bump on the road of life.
If a child, with the help and support of their loved ones, is able to work through a situation and learn from it, this can help the child turn things around, and get on the right path before it becomes too late or significantly harder.
Getting a Child back on Track
I have had the privilege of working with some amazing families. For instance, I recently worked with a family whose child faced serious misdemeanor charges. This child was very motivated to turn his life around, and we were able to demonstrate this to the court. My client is now in boot camp and on his way to serve in the Navy; his life-long dream. The criminal charge did not stop him from doing this, but only because we were able to work quickly, proactively and creatively to handle the case.
I enjoy working with families and really getting to know the child. Sometimes it is a process of peeling away layer after layer, just like an onion, until we get to the root of the issue and what is causing the child to act out and commit delinquent acts.
Once we get there, we can set the child on a positive course, sometimes well before the court date. Maybe this means getting the child started in counseling or even changing schools. Maybe this means getting the child involved in a new after school activity or working with their family to create a curfew. Maybe it means setting up software on a computer to monitor a child’s computer use.
Kathryn Works in a No-Judgement Zone so Kids Can Open Up and Help Themselves
I operate in a ‘no judgment zone’ and will never judge or belittle a child. Rather, I seek to find the best in them and use this to help get them back on track. I may ask some tough questions, but that is with the one key purpose of serving your child and your family to the very best of my ability.
While the juvenile court system does have different goals and objectives, I must remind you that juvenile court is still court. It is held in a courthouse with judges, prosecutors, police officers, and probation officers. The experience of going through a security check point, waiting an indefinite amount of time before being called into the court room, and then standing before a judge can certainly be daunting for children and adults.
Therefore, being informed and being prepared before stepping into the courthouse can make a huge difference in the overall process and in your child’s future. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to call my office at 404.829.2776. I look forward to talking to you and getting to know your family.
If you are listening to my message today, you may be experiencing some level of fear and anxiety about your child’s future. Your child may be in some kind of trouble at school, or in an Atlanta area juvenile court, or perhaps both. You’ve tried talking to your child and the school administration, but you still don’t feel like you have a clear grasp of what is going on.
There’s a Juvenile Court date on your calendar and you have no idea what to expect. As a parent, you tend to fear the worst about how this event could affect your child’s future for years to come.
As an experienced juvenile defense attorney, I have worked with countless parents just like you. It is obvious that you care deeply about your child, or you would not have come across this message. Thank you for taking the time to research and educate yourself.
The Purpose of Georgia’s Juvenile Court System is to Rehabilitate, Not Punish
The first thing that you should know about the juvenile court system is the overarching purpose is to rehabilitate and not punish. Punishment is a goal of an adult court. Practically speaking, this means your son or daughter will be participating in a process that understand that children should be treated differently from adults, and the juvenile court system is focused on protecting the child and acting in their best interests.
Family involvement in the court process is encouraged and welcomed, and court proceedings are kept private and confidential.
Juvenile Court Date Coming Up? 3 Things to Know
If your child is facing charges in an Atlanta area juvenile court:
Number one: Take a deep breath. At this point, you don’t have all the pieces to the puzzle and speculating about potential outcomes will only make things worse. Try to remain calm, especially around your child so that you can best handle the situation with a clear head.
Number two: Gather any documents, business cards, court summons, citations, and any other relevant information that you may have regarding the legal situation that your child faces. In addition, collect your son or daughter’s current academic and disciplinary records.
Number three: Make a list of any questions you may have related to the facts, the legal process, and any other pending issues. You have likely spent a lot of time thinking and worrying about this, so get those thoughts out of your brain and on to paper so that you can take action.
How to Pick a Lawyer for Juvenile Court: An Experienced Juvenile Defense Lawyer is Critical
In Georgia, juvenile court proceedings happen quickly, and you don’t want to lose time vetting other criminal defense attorneys who may not feel comfortable in juvenile court. As I mentioned, the underlying purpose of juvenile court is vastly different than an adult court. And the rules, systems and procedures are as well. Do not waste your precious time with an attorney who does not consider themselves an expert in this area of law.
I too am a parent, and understand that our children are our most precious resource and that we would move whatever mountain that we needed to move to ensure that they have the best help possible. I am also an experienced criminal defense attorney with a focus on representing juveniles. I would be honored to speak to you about your child’s case. I have handled every type of criminal matter, from traffic tickets to homicide cases.
However, I find immense satisfaction in helping families navigate the juvenile justice system. It is my true passion. It is rewarding to work with a youth who is facing a legal situation and use the situation to get them back on track. I compare this to a speed bump on the road of life.
If a child, with the help and support of their loved ones, is able to work through a situation and learn from it, this can help the child turn things around, and get on the right path before it becomes too late or significantly harder.
Getting a Child back on Track
I have had the privilege of working with some amazing families. For instance, I recently worked with a family whose child faced serious misdemeanor charges. This child was very motivated to turn his life around, and we were able to demonstrate this to the court. My client is now in boot camp and on his way to serve in the Navy; his life-long dream. The criminal charge did not stop him from doing this, but only because we were able to work quickly, proactively and creatively to handle the case.
I enjoy working with families and really getting to know the child. Sometimes it is a process of peeling away layer after layer, just like an onion, until we get to the root of the issue and what is causing the child to act out and commit delinquent acts.
Once we get there, we can set the child on a positive course, sometimes well before the court date. Maybe this means getting the child started in counseling or even changing schools. Maybe this means getting the child involved in a new after school activity or working with their family to create a curfew. Maybe it means setting up software on a computer to monitor a child’s computer use.
Kathryn Works in a No-Judgement Zone so Kids Can Open Up and Help Themselves
I operate in a ‘no judgment zone’ and will never judge or belittle a child. Rather, I seek to find the best in them and use this to help get them back on track. I may ask some tough questions, but that is with the one key purpose of serving your child and your family to the very best of my ability.
While the juvenile court system does have different goals and objectives, I must remind you that juvenile court is still court. It is held in a courthouse with judges, prosecutors, police officers, and probation officers. The experience of going through a security check point, waiting an indefinite amount of time before being called into the court room, and then standing before a judge can certainly be daunting for children and adults.
Therefore, being informed and being prepared before stepping into the courthouse can make a huge difference in the overall process and in your child’s future. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to call my office at 404.829.2776. I look forward to talking to you and getting to know your family.