Colorado Springs Juvenile Criminal Mischief Attorney
Colorado law prohibits "criminal mischief," which is defined as follows:
"A person...knowingly damages the real or personal property of one or more other persons, including property owned by the person jointly with another person or property owned by the person in which another person has a possessory or proprietary interest, in the course of a single criminal episode...."
Typically, criminal mischief covers acts like vandalism or destroying property. Many of the juveniles, or young people between the ages of 10 and 17 who are charged with criminal mischief in Colorado are charged based on the belief that they committed vandalism, drew graffiti, or destroyed some kind of real or personal property. Depending on the circumstances of the case, the charges may also include trespassing claims.
Criminal mischief is either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the claimed value of the property that was allegedly damaged. Generally speaking, criminal mischief is a misdemeanor if the value of the property was under one thousand dollars, and a felony if the value of the property was over one thousand dollars. The primary difference between misdemeanor and felony criminal mischief is that a misdemeanor carries a maximum sentence of less than one year in the county jail, while a felony carries a maximum sentence of one or more years in the state prison. Criminal mischief that results in $20,000 or more of damage to someone else's property is a Class 3 felony, which carries a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison if the juvenile is tried as an adult in Colorado. If a person is convicted of criminal mischief, the court may also require that person to pay for the costs of repairing or replacing the damaged property.
Colorado's juvenile justice system handles most cases involving young persons between the ages of 10 and 17, including cases of criminal mischief. Juvenile cases are handled separately from adult cases in most instances because courts recognize that young people are still developing critical thinking and reasoning skills, which makes it more difficult for them to grasp the full impact of their actions in some situations. These courts also recognize that alternative ways of dealing with juvenile misbehavior, such as reform programs, are often more helpful to young people who are found to have broken the law than imprisonment would be.
For these reasons, a criminal mischief case heard in juvenile court may result in a more age-appropriate hearing, with more appropriate consequences on the line if the young person is convicted. An experienced Colorado Springs juvenile criminal defense attorney can help ensure that a juvenile accused of criminal mischief gets an appropriate hearing from a juvenile court.
Attorney Timothy Bussey and the experienced legal team at The Bussey Law Firm, P.C. have handled a wide range of criminal mischief charges, including charges brought against juveniles. They know how to build a case that aggressively defends a young person's legal rights while also fighting for the best possible outcome in each individual case. To learn more about how we can help you and your family fight charges of juvenile criminal mischief, contact The Bussey Law Firm, P.C. today.
Colorado Springs Juvenile Offenses lawyer Timothy Bussey at The Bussey Law Firm, P.C. in Colorado represents clients in Colorado Springs and throughout El Paso County, including the cities of Fountain, Manitou Springs, and Monument.
The Bussey Law Firm, P.C.
12 E. Boulder Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Phone: (719) 475-2555
Fax: (719) 475-0046
