JUVENILE CASE DIVERTED OUT OF COURT SYSTEM

DN, a thirteen year old juvenile, and his 12 year old friend broke and entered into an unoccupied house in Merrimac, MA and set up a camp inside the house. While in the house they went through all the rooms searching and taking inventory. The owner of the house, who lived in another town, discovered the break and reported it to the police. Because of items left in the house, the police were able to track down DN and his 12 year old friend, both of whom admitted breaking into the house. DN’s parents contacted Attorney Robert Lewin of North Andover. Attorney Lewin explained the damage that a juvenile record can cause when it comes time to apply for college or private school. DN’s parents retained Attorney Lewin and Attorney Lewin immediately contacted the Assistant District Attorney assigned to the juvenile court session in Newburyport Juvenile Court. Attorney Lewin was very familiar with the Juvenile Diversion Program run by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office. When a Juvenile Delinquency case is referred to the Diversion Program the Juvenile must complete the terms of the program and must stay out of trouble. Once that is done the case is fully dismissed without the Juvenile ever having been arraigned in Juvenile Court. Because the Juvenile does not get arraigned there is NO entry made on the Juvenile’s CORI; that is the Juvenile has NO record. Attorney Lewin also contacted the head of the Juvenile Diversion program in Newburyport. Both the head of the Juvenile Diversion Program and the Assistant District Attorney agreed that DN’s case was an appropriate case for diversion. On December 16, 2014 Christmas came early for DN and his parents. On December 16, 2014 DN, his parents, and Attorney Lewin all appeared in the Essex County Juvenile Court held in the Newburyport District Courthouse. The owner of the property – a very obstinate and difficult woman – made the DA’s Office aware that she opposed the case being diverted out of the system. Notwithstanding her opposition, the case was diverted. DN will have NO juvenile record.