When individuals imagine what a counterfeiter might look like, it does not include a vision of a Colts Neck High School student. I guess you get where I am going with this – high school kids in Monmouth County were counterfeiting fake 10s and 20s.  The money was sold to other juveniles in return for lesser domination of real money.  The United States Secret Services is involved in the investigation and charges are forthcoming against the high school sophomore and junior involved in this fraud.

Once the charges are filed, the first official court proceeding is a mandatory assignment of counsel hearing.  This proceeding is designed to establish who shall be representing the juvenile as every child must be represented by a NJ Juvenile Crime Defense Attorney.  The next proceeding is an arraignment where the juvenile is read the charges against him or her, and advised as to his or her rights.  A plea hearing and/or status conference (or several) usually follows thereafter where the prosecutor and defense counsel elaborate as to their positions, and a determination is made as to what, if any, investigation or other work is needed to resolve the case.  Ultimately, a decision must be reached as to whether or not a trial is necessary to resolve the charges.  If a trial is necessary, it is important to keep in mind that there is no right to a jury trial.  Since Juvenile cases are decided in family court as opposed to criminal court, the Judge presiding over the case decides all issues.  The same burden of proof, that is, proof beyond reasonable doubt, nevertheless applies in the case.

We will have to see how the counterfeit case in question proceeds through this process.  I anticipate a rather uneventful progression of the case.  While the case involves a rather interesting little scenario, there is nothing to warrant significant scrutiny given the lack of violence and other considerations.