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 Texas, the juvenile court system handles cases involving minors who are typically under the age of 17, as the state considers individuals 17 years or older as adults for criminal purposes. These courts deal with a range of offenses committed by juveniles, including theft, drug offenses, assault, disorderly conduct, underage drinking, truancy, and curfew violations. Additionally, juvenile courts in Texas address dependency cases where the state intervenes in situations of child abuse or neglect. While juvenile courts primarily focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment, more serious offenses such as aggravated assault, rape, murder, and robbery can sometimes be transferred to adult court, depending on the circumstances and the age of the offender. In juvenile proceedings, which are civil rather than criminal, minors do not have the same constitutional rights as adults, such as the right to a jury trial. However, they are entitled to legal representation, and the proceedings are geared towards rehabilitation and providing a second chance, with an emphasis on the best interests of the child.
