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 Ohio, juvenile courts handle cases involving minors, typically those who are 17 years old or younger, who are accused of delinquent acts, which are equivalent to criminal offenses if committed by adults. These courts deal with a range of offenses including theft, drug-related offenses, assault, disorderly conduct, underage drinking, truancy, and curfew violations. Juvenile dependency cases, where the state intervenes in situations of abuse or neglect, are also within the purview of juvenile courts. However, serious offenses such as aggravated assault, rape, murder, and robbery may be transferred to adult court depending on the circumstances and the discretion of the juvenile court. Proceedings in juvenile court are civil rather than criminal, meaning that juveniles are not charged criminally but rather for delinquency. They do not have the right to a jury trial and other constitutional protections afforded to adults, but the system is designed to focus on rehabilitation and offers more discretion to authorities in seeking resolutions that provide a second chance for the juvenile.