When your child is accused of a crime, it is frightening, and what happens next can affect their education, their opportunities, and their future long after they have grown up. Children are not just small adults, and the juvenile system is not just a smaller version of adult court. It has its own rules, its own risks, and its own second chances. As a parent herself, Lauren Campoli understands what is at stake, and she defends young people with both skill and genuine care.
At the Law Office of Lauren Campoli, we represent children facing misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, and felony allegations throughout Hennepin County and the greater Twin Cities, and we work closely with families through every step.
How Juvenile Court Is Different
Juvenile court is built around rehabilitation, not punishment. The goal is to help a young person move forward, and the outcomes often reflect that. But that protection is not guaranteed, and in the most serious cases the State can seek to pull a child out of the juvenile system entirely. Two possibilities in particular can change everything for a child, and defending against them is where experienced counsel matters most.
Certification to Adult Court
In serious cases, a prosecutor can ask the court to certify a child to stand trial as an adult under Minn. Stat. § 260B.125. If that happens and the child is convicted, they face the same penalties an adult would, including adult prison. Certification is not automatic. It follows a hearing, and it can be challenged. Fighting to keep a child’s case in juvenile court, where rehabilitation is the focus, is one of the most important things a juvenile defense lawyer does.
Extended Jurisdiction Juvenile (EJJ)
An EJJ prosecution (Minn. Stat. §§ 260B.125 to 260B.130) is a middle path between juvenile and adult court, generally used for children 14 to 17 charged with serious felony offenses. In an EJJ case, the child receives a juvenile disposition and an adult sentence that is stayed, meaning it is held over them but not carried out, so long as they follow the terms of their disposition and do not reoffend. Juvenile-court jurisdiction can continue until the child turns 21. The stakes are high: if the terms are violated, that adult sentence can be executed. Careful representation, both at the designation stage and afterward, is essential.
Protecting Your Child’s Future
A child’s case is never just about the charge. It is about their record, their schooling, their confidence, and the doors that stay open to them. We work to protect all of it: challenging the evidence, challenging certification where appropriate, and pursuing outcomes that give a young person the chance to move on.
Talk With a Minnesota Juvenile Defense Lawyer
If your child has been charged, the sooner you have experienced counsel, the more can be done to protect them. Contact the Law Office of Lauren Campoli at 612-500-7777 to discuss your child’s case.
PRACTICE AREAS
› Assault
› Domestic Violence
› DWI Defense
› Juvenile Offenses
› Drug Crimes
› Theft and Property Crimes
› Homicide
› Federal Crimes
› Title IX Defense
› Expungement