JUVENILE COURT CASE TYPES

The juvenile court is a division of the superior court. It handles four types of cases.

1. delinquency
2. dependency
3. status offenses
4. traffic/ minor offenses.

Delinquency proceedings involve children (minors) who have committed an act which would be a crime if committed by an adult.

If allegations of the offense are found to be true, and if the minor is declared a ward of the court, the minor might remain at home on probation under certain conditions and with removal as a possible sanction for probation violation. Or, a ward can be immediately removed from the home and placed in another setting, which can range from a group home to Juvenile Hall or a county camp, or in the more restrictive State of California Department of the Youth Authority.

Dependency actions involve minors who have allegedly been abused, neglected, or inadequately cared for by one or more parents or guardians. Unlike delinquency or status offender proceedings (where the principal focus is on the conduct of the minor), dependency proceedings are initially directed towards demonstrating that the parent has harmed or is unable to properly care for his/her child. If Juvenile Court jurisdiction is established, the court will then determine whether the minor should be removed from the parent's custody and, if so, what placement would be most appropriate for the minor's needs.

Status Offenses: These offenses concern non-criminal behaviors that are illegal because of the child’s age. These behaviors are not illegal for adults. For example, typical status offenses are truancy (cutting school) and running away from home.

Juvenile citations for traffic and/or minor offenses, including violations of municipal code ordinances, are issued by law enforcement agencies throughout Orange County. If the judicial officer determines that the minor committed the offense for which he or she was cited, the court may order the minor to perform certain actions including working on a special project, pay a fine, attend traffic school, or perform volunteer community service, and under serious circumstances, the court may refer the citation to the Probation Department so that the minor’s case may be handled under delinquency proceedings.