Pace & Associates Lawyers can assist you in ensuring that your child’s interests are properly represented and addressed in Court.

Pace & Associates lawyers provides expert advice and assistance to children in their criminal matters listed before the Children’s Court. In these proceedings, early intervention by a legal practitioner can fundamentally affect the outcome and reduce the trauma to the child and your extended family. 

Matters listed in this jurisdiction are sentenced under the Children Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic), which prescribes different sentencing options for child offenders.

Children under the age of 10 years cannot commit a criminal offence by law and therefore cannot be prosecuted. If a child is aged between 10 and 14 years, prosecution must establish the child understood the consequences of their criminal act. If this cannot be adequately established, the ‘doli incapax’ (incapable of crime) rule applies, whereby the young person will be acquitted on the basis of immature age.

Our team will work with prosecution and attempt to find a rehabilitative solution, which also sets positive goals for the young person to put them back on the right track.

If you have been contacted by Victoria Police or the Department of Families, Fairness & Housing (DFFH) in relation to your child, or your child has been charged with an offence, contact Pace & Associates Lawyers as soon as possible.

*Please note that we do not offer legal aid.