Utah Contribute to Delinquency of Minor Lawyer

In Utah, being charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor can have outcomes that will affect you for the rest of your life. Not only could you have hefty fines, but you could also face jail time. 

What is the Statute? 

Under Utah Code § 76-10-2301, contributing to the delinquency of a minor includes:

Any person who induces, aids, or encourages a child to violate any federal or state law, municipal or county ordinance, or court order commits contributing to the delinquency of a minor. For the purposes of this section, the term “minor” means any person under the age of eighteen years.

An important thing to note regarding this statute is that the minor does not have to have committed a delinquent act for the person to be charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, encouragement of the act is enough.

What are examples of contributing to the delinquency of a minor?

Some examples of contributing to the delinquency of a minor include but are not limited to:

• Furnishing tobacco to a minor
• Shoplifting with a minor
• Encouraging a minor to shoplift
• Encouraging a minor to vandalize

This is not an all-inclusive list, and again, it is important to remember that a minor does not have to have committed the actual offense. If it is believed you have encouraged the minor the engage in the act that is enough for you to be charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

What is the Punishment?

Under the same statute stated above, contributing to the delinquency of a minor in the state of Utah is considered a class B misdemeanor. A class B misdemeanor in the state of Utah is punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.00.

How Can You Fight It?

If you have been cited for contributing to the delinquency of a minor in Utah, there are a few ways Weber Law can fight for you. Potential defenses against a charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor include, the minor misunderstanding you, you not realizing what the minor was doing, or even that you were falsely accused. 

How Can Weber Law Help You?

Having criminal charges pending can be stressful; do not face these charges on your own. Let Weber Law take some worry and stress away. Whether it is negotiating to lower the charge to a lesser crime, reducing your fine amount, reducing your jail time, or defending you at trial, Weber Law will work for you every step of the way. By looking at potential evidence, such as your prior criminal record, employment records, potential evidence against you, and character testimony, Weber Law will make sure to scrutinize all the details of your case. At Weber Law we are experienced in defending these charges, winning these cases, and getting you back to simply just living your life free of a criminal charge. It is never a good idea to face any criminal charges alone, the court room can be very intimidating, and you need someone experienced to do the work for you. If you or anyone you know has been cited for contributing to the delinquency of a minor in the state of Utah, call Weber Law today for a consultation. 

• Utah Code § 76-10-2301, contributing to the delinquency of a minor
• Utah Code § 76-3-204, misdemeanor conviction – term of imprisonment
• Utah Code § 76-3-301, fines of individuals