A juvenile court—also known as a young offender’s court—is a special court that handles criminal proceedings against minors—usually a child age 17 or younger, but in some states a child age 16 or younger, or age 15 or younger. Juveniles who are accused of violating a criminal statute against theft, drug use, drug possession, assault, disorderly conduct, underage drinking, truancy (skipping school), and curfew violations are often handled by juvenile courts. Juvenile dependency cases in which the state seeks to remove minors from a troubled home environment (when they are abused or neglected by their parents or guardians) are also handled by juvenile courts. But more violent offenses such as aggravated assault, rape, murder, and robbery are less likely to be prosecuted in juvenile court.

Cases in juvenile court are civil proceedings rather than criminal proceedings. This is significant because in juvenile court minors are charged with committing a delinquent act (a civil matter) rather than being charged with a criminal act. In juvenile court, juveniles do not have all of the Constitutional rights as an adult in criminal court does (such as the right to a jury trial), but police, prosecutors, and court officials have broad discretion in handling the case and giving the juvenile a second chance.

In Alabama, juvenile courts handle cases involving minors, typically those who are under the age of 18. These courts deal with a range of offenses including theft, drug offenses, assault, disorderly conduct, underage drinking, truancy, and curfew violations. Additionally, juvenile courts in Alabama address dependency cases where the welfare of a minor is at risk due to abuse or neglect. While juvenile courts have jurisdiction over most offenses committed by minors, very serious crimes such as aggravated assault, rape, murder, and robbery may be transferred to adult court, depending on the circumstances and the age of the offender. Proceedings in juvenile court are civil rather than criminal, meaning that minors are adjudicated for delinquent acts instead of being prosecuted for criminal acts. Juveniles in Alabama do not have the right to a jury trial in juvenile court, and the system is designed to focus on rehabilitation and providing a second chance rather than punishment. However, they do retain other constitutional rights, and the proceedings must still adhere to the principles of due process.