Sentencing – Placement Based on Special Needs of the Juvenile 19-2-916
As a former Senior – Career Arapahoe – Douglas County District Attorney – in his13 years (1984 – 1997) years as a prosecutor – H. Michael was assigned to the prosecution of hundreds of juvenile prosecutions. As a Colorado Criminal Defense Lawyer for the last 16 years (1997 – 2013) – he has successfully handled hundreds more juvenile cases.
Juvenile criminal defense lawyers must be specialized in this area and must have specialized training and experience to be effective on behalf of their clients… essentially just children. Because Juvenile Court is different than adult court – an experienced lawyer in adult may be incompetent to practice in juvenile court.
Where your child’s freedom and future is at stake…go with experience every time.
Here is the statute referenced in the article that linked you to this page:
19-2-916. Sentencing – placement based on special needs of the juvenile
(1) Except as otherwise provided in section 19-2-601for an aggravated juvenile offender, the court may order that the juvenile be examined or treated by a physician, surgeon, psychiatrist, or psychologist or that he or she receive other special care and may place the juvenile in a hospital or other suitable facility for such purposes; except that no juvenile may be placed in a mental health facility operated by the department of human services until the juvenile has received a mental health hospital placement prescreening resulting in a recommendation that the juvenile be placed in a facility for an evaluation pursuant to section 27-65-105 or 27-65-106, C.R.S., or a hearing has been held by the court after notice to all parties, including the department of human services.
No order for a seventy-two-hour treatment and evaluation shall be entered unless a hearing is held and evidence indicates that the prescreening report is inadequate, incomplete, or incorrect and that competent professional evidence is presented by a mental health professional that indicates that mental illness is present in the juvenile. The court shall make, prior to the hearing, such orders regarding temporary custody of the juvenile as are deemed appropriate.
(2) Placement in any mental health facility operated by the department of human services shall continue for such time as ordered by the court or until the professional person in charge of the juvenile’s treatment concludes that the treatment or placement is no longer appropriate.
If placement or treatment is no longer deemed appropriate, the court shall be notified and a hearing held for further disposition of the juvenile within five days excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. The court shall make, prior to the hearing, such orders regarding temporary custody of the juvenile as are deemed appropriate.