Juvenile Crimes

Juvenile Defense Lawyer in Quincy, MA

Protecting Your Child’s Future Across Norfolk County

When a child is arrested, parents need answers fast and a legal team they can trust. At Davis Law Group, our criminal defense practice extends to juvenile delinquency and youthful offender matters across Quincy, Massachusetts, and the surrounding Norfolk County communities. Our trial attorneys bring over 90 years of combined experience to every case, and we treat each family’s situation with the individual attention it deserves.

If your child has been arrested or is under investigation, don’t wait. Call our juvenile defense attorneys in Quincy at (617) 752-6216 to discuss what your family is facing.

What Families Should Expect from Their Attorney

A child’s arrest is one of the most stressful events a family can go through. We return calls quickly and make time for real conversations, not five-minute check-ins. When something urgent comes up, we’re available outside of normal business hours. After a case closes, we remain reachable for any follow-up questions that arise.

We also give honest guidance. If a case calls for a diversion program or a negotiated resolution rather than a contested hearing, we’ll tell you that clearly. Our goal is to do what’s right for your child, not to push a matter forward if it doesn’t serve their interests. Every strategy we build accounts for your family’s specific circumstances, including the long-term considerations around education and housing that a juvenile record can affect.

Quincy’s Juvenile Court & Where Cases Are Heard

The Quincy session of the Norfolk County Juvenile Court hears delinquency and youthful offender matters for communities across Norfolk County, including Weymouth. Quincy District Court and the Norfolk County Juvenile Court currently sit in the same courthouse complex. Because we maintain a physical presence in Quincy, our attorneys are familiar with the judges, procedures, and courthouse staff who handle these cases locally. We also offer virtual consultations for families who need flexibility.

Juvenile Charges Our Attorneys Handle

Massachusetts law allows a wide range of criminal offenses to be charged against a child between ages 12 and 18 as a delinquency matter. Our criminal defense practice covers the full scope of charges that can arise in juvenile court, including:

Because we also practice family law, we can address any custody, protective order, or other family-court questions that arise alongside a juvenile criminal matter, all through one firm.

After an Arrest: What Happens Next

After a juvenile is arrested in Massachusetts, bail is generally available, though certain exceptions apply. At arraignment, the court formally reads the charges and enters a plea. From there, the case follows different paths depending on the offense and the child’s history.

Serious cases can be escalated beyond standard delinquency handling and prosecuted as youthful offender matters, which carry significantly greater exposure. Understanding which track your child’s case is on from the start shapes every decision that follows. The sooner an attorney is involved, the more options may remain open.

Talk to a Juvenile Defense Lawyer in Quincy Today

Your child’s case deserves focused, individualized attention from attorneys who know Norfolk County courts and understand what’s at stake for your family. We offer both in-person meetings at our Quincy, MA, office and virtual consultations.

Call Davis Law Group at (617) 752-6216 to get started.

Delinquency vs. Youthful Offender: Two Different Legal Tracks

Massachusetts law draws a meaningful distinction between a “delinquent child” and a “youthful offender,” and that difference matters enormously for how a case is handled and what consequences may follow.

The Delinquency Track

Under Massachusetts law, a delinquent child is between ages 12 and 18 and has committed an offense against the Commonwealth, excluding civil infractions, municipal ordinance violations, and certain first-offense minor misdemeanors. These cases are handled in Juvenile Court, where rehabilitation is considered alongside accountability.

The Youthful Offender Track

The youthful offender track applies to juveniles ages 14 through 17 accused of certain serious offenses. Before the case can proceed, it must be presented to a grand jury for indictment. The case then remains in Juvenile Court, but the sentencing exposure is far broader: a judge can impose commitment to the Department of Youth Services until age 21, any sentence that adult law permits, or a combination of both. A juvenile age 14 or older charged with murder is automatically prosecuted as an adult in Superior Court, not as a youthful offender in Juvenile Court.

Juvenile Records in Massachusetts: Confidentiality & Expungement

One of the most important differences between juvenile and adult criminal proceedings is confidentiality. Delinquency proceedings in Massachusetts Juvenile Court are closed to the public, media coverage isn’t permitted, and the juvenile’s identity is withheld from the public record. These protections exist to help limit the long-term consequences of a youthful mistake.

Even so, a juvenile record doesn’t simply disappear. It can surface in school admission decisions, employment applications, and housing reviews. Massachusetts law provides a path to expungement under General Laws c. 276, sections 100E through 100U, which set out eligibility and procedure for sealing or erasing a juvenile record entirely.

If your child’s case has already resolved and you have questions about what remains on their record or whether expungement is an option, contact our office and we’ll help you understand where things stand.

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Hear From Our Happy Clients

At Davis Law Group, your satisfaction is our priority! See for yourself what our clients have to say about working with us.

"If you're unsure who to use, you found them."
Excellent client support. Very helpful, generous, and knowledgeable. He took the time to listen to my concerns and offer his expert advice. If you're unsure who to use, you found them.

- Deb
"They will do everything within their power to get you the results you deserve."
Highly recommend to anyone in need of legal help. Jay, Annie and the team are super friendly and helpful. I can personally guarantee, from experience, they will bend over backwards and do everything within their power to get you the results you deserve.

- Jamie
"Jay and his coworkers were extremely helpful and fought for us."
Jay and his coworkers were extremely helpful and fought for us as clients. We are so happy with his practice and will most definitely be calling him again if need be!

- Paige
"I would hands down recommend contacting him."
Jay was outstanding in his service and professionalism. He is a saint in my book.
He worked with me after hours and had no hesitation to put in the extra effort to review my documentation and my case in detail without charge. I would hands down recommend contacting him for legal matters.

- Kelly
"Jay and the firm have cared about my specific needs as a client."
I have used the services of Davis Law Group a number of times during the past 20 years and found them to be an extremely professional and caring law firm. Specifically I have used them for real estate transactions and for estate planning, wills, and healthcare proxies, with Jay Davis and Maryanne McGonagle as my primary attorneys. Whereas some law firms use boiler plates and treat clients as transactions, Jay and the firm have cared about my specific needs as a client and customized to those needs. I highly recommend this firm.

- Rob
"I will definitely be using them again!"
I had an all around great experience working with Ryan Medeiros and Davis Law Group. Highly recommend! Ryan was knowledgeable and accessible, and knew what it would take to get the job done. I will definitely be using them again!

- Mark
"They have always done right by us."
Three generations of my family have trusted Davis Law Group with our legal needs and they have always done right by us. Since April I have been working non-stop with Mary Anne McGonagle and Jay Davis to navigate and probate an excruciatingly-complicated estate. Both Mary Anne and Jay have gone out of their way numerous times on my behalf and have vigorously protected my interests in the face of some fairly significant headwinds. I could not be more thankful for, and appreciative of, their attention and the care they have demonstrated for my family.

- Bryan
"What she did was truly above and beyond my expectation."
I benefited a lot from a recent consultation with Mary Anne. She is very knowledgeable in the area of landlord-tenant law, but what expressed me the most is her ethics. Although it was a free consultation, she still took it very seriously and spent the time to read my files prior to the call. During the session, she made complex legal issues easy to understand, analyzed my case and offer very good advice. She also worked very hard and communicated with me even after her normal work hours. What she did was truly above and beyond my expectation.

- Anonymous

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Why Choose Davis Law Group?

Dedicated & Compassionate Legal Help
With our firm, you get quality legal assistance on every step of your case.
We Fight For Our Clients
At Davis Law Group, you can expect your legal team to have your back at every step of the way.
Decades of Experience
Our law firm has been assisting clients in Massachusetts since 1994.
Offering Virtual Consultations
With virtual consultations, it's easier than ever to get started.

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15 Cottage Ave.
Fourth Floor
Quincy, MA 02169
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