Do you have to be an adult to receive legal advice from an attorney?
In other words, can minors alone (juveniles) contact attorneys if they have any questions or need advice for a case or anything else?
Answers:
Not only do you not have to be an adult, many court systems will make sure that you have representation, particularly in family court matters. Contact your local bar association or your local court clerk if you need help - or post a question on a system like lawguru.com, where it will only go to attorneys in your area.
Do NOT seek personal legal advice via systems like this.
No but you have to be an adult to retain one.
No. But you may have to be of age to contract to get it.
Not only do juvenilles have a right to legal representation, in some states, they do NOT have the right to waive legal representation.
Ohio is not one of them.
Ryan*, a 17-year-old boy, represented himself during his delinquency trial on a burglary charge. Like in many Ohio
juvenile cases, the record of Ryan's case contained no information indicating whether he was even informed he had a
right to be represented by a lawyer. Without a lawyer to guide him, Ryan lost his trial, was adjudicated delinquent and
was sentenced to an Ohio Department of Youth Services facility for a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of four years.
Ryan appealed his case. After Ryan had served 10 and a half months of his sentence in a correctional facility, the
appeals court overturned his conviction and sent the case back to the trial court so that Ryan could be "fully apprised
of his right to counsel." When the case was returned to the trial court, the burglary charge against Ryan was ultimately
dismissed. In addition to the injustice that Ryan suffered, Ohio taxpayers also paid a price. Ryan’s unwarranted
incarceration and subsequent legal expenses cost taxpayers roughly $50,175.1
You don't need an adult to talk to one, as long as they're free to consult or you have the money.
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