16 yr old son "caught w/handgun"

[worriedgrandma]

What is the name of your state? texas
Please help!!! i have a 16 yr old son in detention b/c he was arrested for possesion of a handgun- the gun was not stolen, he has never been in any trouble and he is not in a gang. they would not release him to me, b/c of a new "kids with guns law"?? anyway, i don't know the first thing about this kind of charge and how to find a lawyer... the right one, went on lawyers.com....tmi to try and filter through by tomorrow morning... please help!

 

[calatty]

Call the Bar Association in your county and ask for a referral to a specialist in juvenile criminal law.

 

[stephenk]

If the gun wasnt stolen, how did he get it?

you can also call the public defender's office for referrals.

 

[worriedgrandma]

i found a lawyer on lawyes.com, he met me at the det. hearing - but could not get my son released before his court date wich may be in up to 2 weeks! i thought having an attorney for him would at least help get him out before he had to go to court..can someone please tell me how much trouble he could get in for this, i just want to get him out of there and bring him home... for the previous question, the gun was bought from a friend of his and is still in his friend's name, he said he needed it for protection b/c of the neighborhood he was staying in w/his dad... i've been trying to get him to come home, but he didnt want to live in a small town...now he may have to. i just feel helpless and depressed

 

[JETX]

"i thought having an attorney for him would at least help get him out before he had to go to court."
*** An attorney can certainly assist in the process and may even be able to sidestep some issues, but they can't circumvent the required process.

"can someone please tell me how much trouble he could get in for this,"
*** Yes. LOTS!! Depending on the specific charge, he could be in for some very serious repercussions.

"i just want to get him out of there and bring him home..."
*** That will be unikely for at least a while. And, depending on conditions, may be longer.

"for the previous question, the gun was bought from a friend of his and is still in his friend's name,"
*** Ownership is totally irrelevant.

"he said he needed it for protection b/c of the neighborhood he was staying in w/his dad... "
*** Again, not relevant.

"i've been trying to get him to come home, but he didnt want to live in a small town...now he may have to."
*** And it is possible that he may not get the choice of where to 'live' for a while.

 

[worriedgrandma]

he was charged with posession of a handgun and posession of marijuana (1 joint)