What happens when a minor is charged with 5th degree assault on another minor. first offense..

The first thing that will happen is that the minor will have a court date set for an arraignment/first appearance. At this hearing the court determines whether the minor is represented by counsel, whether they understand the charges and determines how to proceed. The minor may enter a guilty or not guilty plea or ask for a continuance of the arraignment without entering a plea. Then another hearing would be set at that time. As far as consequences, there is a wide variety of outcomes that could happen based on the specific facts of the alleged assault. Also, given the minor's age and bipolar nature, the minor may not be competent to proceed. The minor would have to go through an evaluation to determine that though. If the minor is found incompetent the charges, since it is a misdeameanor, the charges wold be dismissed. I would advise consulting with an attorney to further discuss the specific facts of the minor's case.

Compared to adult criminal cases, juvenile delinquency cases have a greater focus on rehabilitation - an attempt to help the juvenile learn self-respect and respect for others. A "charge" is an unproved claim. If the allegation of criminal conduct is proven with legally obtained evidence, then the juvenile could be "adjudicated delinquent." If so, that would give the court dispositional jurisdiction - the legal power to require the juvenile to go to an "out of home placement" such as county home school, for example. The court could impose a sanction less severe, depending upon the facts, and the law. (See link below for more.) At ten years old, competency may be an issue, meaning - is the ten-year-old capable of understanding the legal proceddings and assisting in her lawyer in her defense? In the end, work with your lawyer on the defense case. Showing "post-offense rehabilitation" can be helpful if a court should ever get to disposition, as well.