Help! My special needs son got arrested, juvenile, I need some type of help. Not sure where to find the right lawyer.
Asked in San Antonio, TX Last answered on October 28, 2026Special Needs Son got arrested, instead of Bexar Sheriff taking him to mental hospital for help, they sent him to jail. Now we are dealing with the aftermath. Please call as we did not want to press charges, now he has to have a probation officer and it is just all an absolute mess. Thanks and please let us know who to call or what to do.
1 answer
Free Consultation I'm sorry your family is dealing with this. A few things may help you find the right door.
In Texas, families do not decide whether a juvenile case goes forward. The State files it, and the juvenile court handles it under the Family Code, which is a separate system from adult court. A child has the right to a lawyer in a juvenile case, and if the family cannot afford one, the court can appoint one.
Texas law lets an officer take a person in a mental health crisis to a facility for an emergency evaluation instead of jail, but that is up to the officer. What already happened cannot be undone, but the facts still matter now. A lawyer can ask the court to consider your son's disability and diagnosis, to order an evaluation, and to build probation terms around treatment. Probation conditions can often be changed later by asking the court.
The right kind of lawyer is a criminal defense lawyer who handles juvenile cases in Bexar County. The State Bar of Texas lawyer referral service can help locate one, and Disability Rights Texas is a nonprofit that works with people with disabilities.
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