Juvenile Court CA--possession (and brandishing) knife..consequences??

[freesia]

My friend's 13 year old son brought a Leatherman to school in California and threatened to use it. He was suspended from school and has to go to Juvenile Court. They went this morning and were assigned a public defender.
My question is...what kinds of consequences should we expect? He was charged with brandishing the knife and also charged with bringing the knife to school in the first place. My friend in Colorado said that he would be thrown in jail if he lived out there. He has had a few detentions at school but nothing major like this. Also, what does it mean to "seal" the case if he ends up having a record? thanks in advance for your advice.

 

[CdwJava]

My friend's 13 year old son brought a Leatherman to school in California and threatened to use it. He was suspended from school and has to go to Juvenile Court. They went this morning and were assigned a public defender.

Not good ... not good at all.

My question is...what kinds of consequences should we expect? He was charged with brandishing the knife and also charged with bringing the knife to school in the first place. My friend in Colorado said that he would be thrown in jail if he lived out there. He has had a few detentions at school but nothing major like this. Also, what does it mean to "seal" the case if he ends up having a record? thanks in advance for your advice.

It depends on specifically what charges he faces ... brandishing, possession of a knife at school, assault with a deadly weapon, etc. He CAN go to juvenile hall or even CYA for the offenses ... chances are he won't go to CYA, but the possibility may be there depending on the specific offenses charged.

- Carl