New Hampshire Raises the Adult Prosecution Age to 18 for Most Offenses

Prior to July of 2015, 17 year-olds charged with a crime were prosecuted as an adult and could face the same jail and prison terms as other adults. However, a 2015 change in the law, increased the age for adult prosecution from 17 to 18. Persons under the age of 18 are generally charged as juveniles, which means that the cases are not public records and that a conviction does not appear on a criminal history record. However, a person who is under 18 may still be prosecuted in adult court for most motor vehicle offenses, such as DUI or transporting alcohol or drugs, or for certain other alcohol or tobacco offenses. If you have questions about legal representation in adult or juvenile matters, please contact one of our attorneys, who handle all criminal, motor vehicle, juvenile delinquency, and related matters.