Steps in the Juvenile Justice Process 1. Arrest or custody - "Miranda Rights" administered - Parents/guardians notified - Releas
e or detained 2. Probable Cause Hearing - Must be within 48 hours of custody - Must be notified of charges, offered opportunity to an attorney - Judge decides whether youth is to be released or detained 3. Adjudicatory Hearing - Must be ten days or less for detained youth, 60 days or less for released youth - Evidence is presented by both sides before a judge (no jury) - Judge decide guilt or innocence 4. Dispositional Hearing - Judges decides punishment/consequences - Often immediately after adjudicatory hearing - Can transfer to Superior Court Which situation might result in a case being transferred to Superior Court (as seen in Step 4)? A) The judge knows the defendant. B) The crime is a serious felony. C) The jury cannot reach a verdict. D) The defendant admits to his guilt.
When the lower court cannot reach on a verdict that can be refereed to as relatively correct in terms of its validity and its basis in the truth of evidence then there is a possibility of referring the case to a higher court for decision.
This is done in the Juvenile cases so as to assure that the trial is fair and only the person who is guilty gets accused and there is no possibility of sending someone behind the bars who has not committed a crime.
