Juvenile law

At Kuyp Baar advocaten, the juvenile law specialist is Ellen Hullegie.

Juvenile criminal law is different to regular criminal law in that the pedagogical character of the law must be paramount. The intention is not to cause hurt to children. Instead, the intention is to ensure that a child learns from its mistakes.

Just as in regular criminal law, it must of course first be established that a mistake has been committed by the child concerned. In their eagerness to ensure that the child learns from the experience, the police and the public prosecutor sometimes forget that a conviction is only possible if legal and convincing evidence is provided that the child has in fact committed a certain offence. And this is where a good defence begins.

If there is evidence of an offence, it is important to find a suitable solution, a good alternative, well before a hearing. In this context, familiarity with the local 'market of alternatives' is an absolute necessity. Ms Hullegie has unparalleled expertise in this regard. The objective is always to guide your child throughout the proceedings to ensure that he/she suffers no harm. To the extent possible, it is to be avoided that a 'criminal record' stands in the way of the child’s career opportunities or apprenticeships.