October 8, 2015
Judge Tom
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Judge Tom

You are being charged because you damaged the property in front of the school – property that is not yours and does not belong to. The fact that the spray paint has now worn away does not necessarily mean that charges should be dismissed. If you used that rationale for everyone, then our streets and buildings could be full of graffiti. However, it could help as far as your fines/restitution that there was no permanent damage caused here. You may be offered a diversion program if this is your first offense or possibly be facing probation with community service hours required. We encourage you to think it through before communicating your love to your son. A simple note, card, email or text may do the trick if that’s an option for you. Good luck.

Judge Tom

The Author Judge Tom

Judge Tom is the founder and moderator of AsktheJudge.info. He is a retired juvenile judge and spent 23 years on the bench. He has written several books for lawyers and judges as well as teens and parents including 'Teen Cyberbullying Investigated' (Free Spirit Publishing) and 'Every Vote Matters: the Power of Your Voice, from Student Elections to the Supreme Court' (Free Spirit Publishing). In 2020, the American Bar Association published "Cyberbullying Law," the nation's first case-law book written for lawyers, judges and law students. When he's not answering teens' questions, Judge Tom volunteers with the American Red Cross and can be found hiking, traveling and reading.