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 North Carolina, juvenile court jurisdiction typically covers individuals who are under the age of 18. However, for certain crimes, individuals as young as 16 can be tried in adult court. The juvenile court system in NC is designed to handle cases involving delinquent acts committed by minors, which would be considered crimes if committed by adults. These can include theft, drug offenses, assault, disorderly conduct, underage drinking, truancy, and curfew violations. Juvenile dependency matters, where the state intervenes in cases of abuse or neglect, are also within the purview of juvenile courts. For more serious offenses such as aggravated assault, rape, murder, and robbery, juveniles may be tried in adult court depending on the severity of the offense and the age of the offender. In juvenile proceedings, the focus is on rehabilitation rather than punishment, and the process is civil, not criminal. This means that juveniles do not have all the same constitutional rights as adults, such as the right to a jury trial. Instead, the court aims to provide guidance and support to encourage better future behavior, often involving the discretion of law enforcement and judicial officials to offer a second chance to young offenders.