Texas Juvenile Must Stand Trial As Adult On Murder Charge

A Collin County judge ruled that teenager Adam Staup must stand trial as an adult on a murder charge. The case involves the murder of another teen last March. Staup could face up to life in prison. Texas Murder charges a very serious. If a juvenile is certified to stand trial as an adult then they will face the same penalty range as adults.

When a juvenile who is 15 or 16 years old is charged with a serious crime such as murder there is a much greater chance the judge will rule the juvenile must stand trial as an adult. In these types of proceedings a judge will always hear extensive testimony from experts and probation officers who can provide information on background on the juvenile such as previous criminal history, school records, psychological testing as well as extensive details of the charge.

Next the case will go through the grand jury process and after indictment the case will go to one of the district courts. Due to the facts and publicity surrounding the case it is likely the case will be resolved by a jury trial.

A juvenile facing murder charges often presents a criminal attorney with more opportunities to find a successful defense. There may be a valid defense available to fight the charge. If the guilt evidence is strong there is often strategies that can mitigate the punishment.