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Criminal procedure

juvenile court

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.



State Statutes for the State of Texas

CHAPTER 102 - COURT COSTS IN CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS

(7) a juvenile case manager fee (Art. 102.0174, Code of Criminal Procedure) . . . not to exceed $5 if the court employs a juvenile case manager; and (7) a juvenile case manager fee (Art. 102.0174, Code of Criminal Procedure) . . . not to exceed $5 if the court employs a juvenile case manager; and the court employs a juvenile case manager;

CHAPTER 58 - RECORDS; JUVENILE JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEM

(b) Except as provided by Section 54.051(d-1) and by Article 15.27, Code of Criminal Procedure, the records, whether physical or electronic, of a juvenile court, a clerk of court, a juvenile probation Procedure, by submitting a request for the record to the juvenile court that made the adjudication. (10) reporting to schools under Article 15.27, Code of Criminal Procedure, by law enforcement agencies , prosecuting attorneys, and juvenile courts;

CHAPTER 54 - JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS

restrictions on a judge placing a defendant on community supervision imposed by Article 42A.054, Code of Criminal Procedure, do not apply to a case transferred from the juvenile court. The minimum period of community supervision imposed by Article 42A.053(d), Code of Criminal Procedure , does not apply to a case transferred from the juvenile court.

Federal Statutes