Q: My 16 yr old son is visiting me in hyde park from Florida and shot a Canadian goose with a bb gun and killed it.
THE DEC GUY SAID THAT BECAUSE ITS A PROTECTED SPECIES THAT ITS SERIOUS AND THEY CAN DO A ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING AND MAKE IT A CIVIL MATTER AND BE DONE IN ONE DAY OR KEEP IT CRIMINAL AND WE WOULD HAVE TO FLY HIM BACK AND FORTH FOR COURT EACH MONTH. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S THE BEST ROUTE TO TAKE. THE CIVIL WAY WOULD BE SUING US FOR DAMAGES TO THE BIRD. SHOULD I KEEP IT CRIMINAL AND WHATS THE BEST WAY FOR HIM. THIS IS FIRST TIME EVER IN TROUBLE.
A:
I I'm quite familiar with this type of matter. It is a very complicated issue with far reaching conclusions most people are able to see ( future ability to get into college/get a job/obtain professional license.
One of my passions is juvenile law because I wasn't an angel growing up and generally get to exercise my role as "counselor" as well as "attorney" in such matters.
Please feel free to contact our office at +1 (914) 912-1555 or my cell at +1 (914) 364-6327 and I'll be happy to give you/your son some free advice.
If it that point you wanted to set up a consultation I can give you all the documents and then give you a better answer to your question. As long as he has no criminal record and they were pretty much 0% chance he will do anything bad for the next year and I would say keep it and re if you're that point you wanted to set up a call Tasia I can review all the documents and then give you a better answer to your question. As long as he has no criminal record and they're pretty much zero for the next year and I would say let's get it ACD (conditionally dismissed... he is good for a year the record is completely sealed forever).
The civil violation would be the easier route, as we would just have to pay a fine, HOWEVER, he will be a meeting guilty in a court of law and this will remain public knowledge forever.
So again, more facts are needed.
I have Court Thursday but free the rest of week for free consult (my fees are comparatively low too - see AG3LAW.com)
All the best
Aubrey
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