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 Tennessee, juvenile courts have jurisdiction over criminal proceedings involving minors, typically those who are 17 years old or younger. These courts address a range of offenses including theft, drug-related offenses, assault, disorderly conduct, underage drinking, truancy, and curfew violations. Additionally, juvenile courts in Tennessee handle dependency cases where the welfare of a minor is at risk due to abuse or neglect. While juvenile courts primarily deal with less severe offenses, more serious crimes such as aggravated assault, rape, murder, and robbery can also be adjudicated in these courts, depending on the circumstances and the discretion of the court. Proceedings in juvenile court are civil rather than criminal, meaning that minors are adjudicated for delinquent acts instead of criminal acts. Juveniles in Tennessee do not have the same Constitutional rights as adults in criminal court, such as the right to a jury trial. However, they are afforded certain protections and the system is geared towards rehabilitation and providing a second chance, with officials having broad discretion in the handling of cases.