Reno Juvenile Defense Attorney

How the Juvenile Justice System Works in Reno

Nevada’s juvenile justice system is built around rehabilitation rather than punishment. In Washoe County, juvenile cases are handled by the Second Judicial District Court, Family Division, which oversees probation supervision, case management, and detention for youth between the ages of 10 and 18.

When a minor is taken into custody, the case typically begins with an intake assessment through Washoe County Juvenile Services before a formal petition is filed. This early stage is often where the most meaningful leverage exists. The range of outcomes depends on the severity of the offense and the child’s prior history.

Potential outcomes include:

• Counseling or community service through a diversion program to help the minor avoid formal adjudication.
• Probation with specific conditions, such as school attendance requirements or curfew restrictions.
• Detention in a juvenile facility for more serious offenses.
• Transfer to adult court, which can apply to violent felonies and other serious charges depending on the child’s age and offense history. If a case moves to adult court, none of the juvenile system’s record protections apply.

Having legal counsel in place during the intake and petition stages can give families a stronger opportunity to pursue informal resolution or diversion before a hearing is ever scheduled.

What to Do When Your Child Is Accused

The period before a formal petition is filed is often the window with the most potential for informal resolution. Waiting until a court date is on the calendar can mean missing that opportunity entirely.

Protect your child’s rights from the start:

• Remain calm and don’t allow your child to speak with law enforcement without a juvenile defense lawyer present. Anything said can be used against them.
• Don’t allow your child to discuss the case with school administrators or counselors in an official capacity before speaking with an attorney. Those conversations can become part of the formal record.
• You can invoke your child’s right to remain silent and request an attorney before any questioning takes place.
• Contact a Reno juvenile defense attorney immediately. Same-day or next-day attorney access means you can get guidance before critical early decisions are made.

We can work to keep your child’s case in juvenile court, pursue diversion where it’s available, and protect your child’s rights at every stage of the process.

Juvenile Record Sealing in Nevada

A juvenile record doesn’t disappear on its own. Until it’s sealed, it can surface in background checks conducted by employers, licensing boards, colleges, and military recruiters, creating obstacles that can follow a young person for years after the underlying case is resolved.

Nevada law allows juvenile records to be sealed. Under NRS 62H.130, a child or probation officer may petition the court to seal all records before the child turns 21, subject to certain conditions. In many cases, records are also sealed automatically once the child reaches a qualifying age, though exceptions apply for more serious offenses. How a case is resolved matters: a formal delinquency adjudication carries different record implications than a case resolved through diversion or informal means. Pursuing diversion where it’s available isn’t just about the immediate outcome; it can affect what the record looks like years later.

If a case is transferred to adult court, none of these protections apply. Opposing transfer is one of the most consequential goals we pursue in serious juvenile cases.

Call (775) 522-3550 or contact us online for a free case review with a juvenile defense lawyer in Reno.