At Tanis Schultz PLLC we understand that no parent wants his or her child to have a permanent criminal record because of a mistake the child made. A criminal record can impact your child’s ability to obtain employment, secure loans and financing, and even get into college. Our team works vigorously to protect our clients from the negative impacts of a criminal record.
What Can You Do?
There are a few options that make it possible to prevent your child from having a criminal conviction on their record. Certain offenses may make it possible for our attorneys to have your child placed on the “consent calendar” which generally means that your child does not enter a plea. Your child would complete certain terms within a specific time period in order to avoid a court proceeding or a criminal charge being placed on his or her criminal record.
The Holmes Youthful Trainee Act
The Holmes Youthful Trainee Act (HYTA) is another potential option to keep your child’s criminal history record clean. HYTA is an option for children ages 17 to 24 who are accused of committing a crime. HYTA is essentially a type of probation where your child must successfully complete the youthful trainee probationary term. In order to qualify your child does have to plead guilty and take responsibility for the crime. Some offenses, such as traffic offenses, murder, or life offenses do not qualify for HYTA. However, offenses such as third-degree criminal sexual conduct or statutory rape may be eligible for HYTA. This means your child could avoid a criminal history record and they could avoid registering as a sex offender as well.
HYTA is a great program, but it may not be right for every situation. Not every child is the same and not every situation is the same. Your child’s future and reputation are important. At Tanis Schultz PLLC we will work with you and your child directly to come up with the best possible individual outcome for your child.
Let Us Defend Your Child’s Rights
If your child has been arrested for a criminal offense, it is critical that you contact the Michigan criminal defense team at Tanis Schultz for guidance and legal support. Our years of experience advocating on behalf of youthful offenders make us an excellent choice. We are dedicated to fighting for your child’s rights and we will work to determine whether there are options to keep a criminal charge off of your child’s record.
To discuss your child’s case with an experienced criminal defense team, contact us today for your free initial consultation.