Information for Parents & Grandparents in Columbia, SC

Defending Your Child in Juvenile Court

If your child or grandchild has been arrested or placed under an investigation for any crime it is important that you take immediate steps to protect their rights. At the Law Office of James R. Snell, Jr., LLC, located in Columbia, South Carolina, we represent juvenile defendants charged in both Family Court and Criminal Court proceedings.

Our Juvenile Court Attorney is available to represent your child in all proceedings involving the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), School Resource Officers, School Expulsion hearings, the Police Department, and Family Court.

When you contact our office you and your child will receive a confidential consultation with an attorney about their case. We regularly represent juveniles in the Columbia County Family Court and the Richland County Family Court in a variety of cases including drug possession, disturbing schools, sexually-oriented offenses, and major felonies.

Children have the same rights as an adult when confronted by the police, this includes:

• Right to remain silent
• Right to refuse consent to searches
• Right to have an attorney present during all questioning
• Right to stop answering questions at any time

Children are often pressured by law enforcement, teachers, or other authority figures to give up their rights. In many cases cooperating with an investigation can lead to criminal charges being filed that otherwise would not be. Further in cases where only minimal evidence previously existed a child’s cooperation can provide the prosecutor with enough evidence to fully prosecute the case.

Most criminal charges brought against minor children are prosecuted as Juvenile Crimes in the Family Court. Older children charged with more serious offenses can be prosecuted as an Adult Offender. Some charges, including Traffic Law or alcohol violations are prosecuted as Status Offenses. Representation is available at all stages of the case including during the police investigation, detention hearing and Court appearances. It is important that you contact a lawyer on behalf of any child who has been arrested or has been placed under an investigation for a crime.

Columbia County Juvenile Court

Children arrested and prosecuted as juvenile offenders in Columbia County, South Carolina, are offered to the Columbia County Family Court. Hearings are held on the 2nd floor of the Courthouse. The Court’s address is 205 East Main Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29072. Juvenile cases in Columbia are prosecuted by the 11th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.

This Court determines under what conditions juvenile defendants may by or remain released pending trial, hears all motions and pleas related to juvenile cases, and conducts contested trials. The Law Office of James R. Snell, Jr., LLC, is located conveniently to the Family Court. We are able to provide representation at all levels of the case. This includes Bond Court, Detention Hearings, DJJ Interviews, Police Investigations and actual Court Appearances.

To contact our office regarding your child’s case, please call our office directly at (803) 359-3301.