{"id":352434,"date":"2023-12-14T16:47:21","date_gmt":"2023-12-14T21:47:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/criminal\/juvenile-justice\/what-to-expect-juvenile-court-chronology.html"},"modified":"2023-12-14T16:47:21","modified_gmt":"2023-12-14T21:47:21","slug":"what-to-expect-juvenile-court-chronology","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/juvenile-justice\/what-to-expect-juvenile-court-chronology.html","title":{"rendered":"What to Expect: Juvenile Court Chronology"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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What to Expect: Juvenile Court Chronology<\/h1>\n
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\n By Susan Buckner, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Rhonda Earhart, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

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When someone under 18 appears in juvenile court, the process unfolds differently than in the adult court system. Understanding the stages of juvenile court\u2014from arrest and intake to adjudication and disposition\u2014can help families navigate the process more effectively.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n

 The juvenile court system runs parallel with the adult system but has some important differences. Although a juvenile can be tried as an adult<\/a> in some serious cases, the courts prefer to try juveniles in their own courts and house incarcerated juveniles in their own facilities.<\/p>\r\n

If you or your child is involved in the juvenile court system, it’s essential to understand your rights and options. Contact a criminal law attorney<\/a> in your area for guidance and representation.<\/p>\r\n

Juvenile offenders are not always arrested for violations of criminal law. Unlike the adult criminal justice system, where offenders have broken laws in the penal codes, other sources may refer juvenile offenders to the juvenile court system. These include schools, parents, and the community. Juvenile court<\/a> procedure acknowledges that minors have issues leading to delinquent behavior and attempts to correct them.<\/p>\r\n

This article will guide you through the different stages of the juvenile court process. Each state (and sometimes each county) has its own juvenile court process. Procedures and terminology may be different in each location. But, this outline gives a general look at what happens in juvenile courts across America.<\/p>\r\n

1. Arrest and Intake<\/h2>\r\n

As of 2023, some 24 states have no minimum age for arrest. These jurisdictions have arrested minors as young as five or six years of age. The remaining states have minimum ages ranging from seven to 13<\/a>. Currently, the only federal law in place is the 2005 Supreme Court ruling prohibiting the death penalty for anyone who committed a homicide while under the age of 18. (Roper v. Simmons, <\/i>543 U.S. 551<\/a>).<\/p>\r\n

Minors are also arrested for status crimes<\/a>. A status offense is an act that is illegal because of the participant’s age. Truancy, possession of alcohol, and curfew violations are all status crimes. If police apprehend a minor for a statutory violation or a status crime, the juvenile case begins.<\/p>\r\n

2. Calling the Parents or Legal Guardians<\/h2>\r\n

Law enforcement officers are not required to call parents unless the minor asks them to. Depending on the nature of the arrest, a law enforcement officer may discuss the case with the juvenile before calling the parents. The court must decide later if this violated the juvenile’s rights.<\/p>\r\n

If the situation warrants it, the intake officer may refer the child to social services, foster care, or a mental health facility before arraignment. This can occur if the court case involves the parents, such as allegations of neglect, child abuse, or domestic violence<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

Even after contacting the parents, the child may still be held until the next hearing. If returning the child to their home is unsafe, law enforcement must take charge of their care. If the juvenile is accused of a crime, they could be placed in juvenile detention.<\/p>\r\n

If the child is accused of a status offense or a crime for which detention would not be appropriate, but the child cannot return home, social services may place the child in foster care<\/a> or with a family member.<\/p>\r\n

3. Pretrial Diversion and Hearings<\/h2>\r\n

The intake officer and district attorney have the discretion to remove the juvenile from the court system through a process of diversion<\/a>. Also known as restorative justice or rehabilitation, the juvenile court judge receives a report from the intake officer and\/or the child’s attorney requesting a diversion program. The judge, officers, and attorneys craft a probationary program that matches the offense better than jail or prison time.<\/p>\r\n

Roughly half the juvenile cases nationwide go through diversion. Diversion may include:<\/p>\r\n