JUVENILE CHARGES & JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

Juvenile Court Jurisdiction – Crimes Committed By Juveniles

Juvenile Court handles cases for those under the age of 18, or minors.

Cases involving a citation or arrest by a law enforcement agency for allegedly violating the law, or cases involving a reporting to the court of a habitually truant minor from school are commonly referred to as “Juvenile Delinquency” matters and are heard out of the Orange County Juvenile Court.

Juvenile Delinquency Court is a division of the Orange County Superior Court and the proceedings involve children under the age of 18, considered minors, who are alleged to have committed a delinquent act which would be considered a crime if committed by an adult. Simply put, a minor can be charged with nearly all of the crimes that an adult can be charged with but due to their age, they are assigned to a special court, often referred to as “Juvenile Court”.

Juvenile Court Jurisdiction – Dependency

Cases involving a minor being removed from the custody of their parents or their legal guardian due to allegations of abuse or neglect are referred to as “Juvenile Dependency” matters and are also heard out of the Orange County Juvenile Court.

The Juvenile Dependency Court is a court that focuses on the needs of children and families. The Juvenile Dependency Court hears cases involving children who have allegedly been abused, neglected, or inadequately cared for by either their parent or parents or their legal guardian or legal guardians.

For more information on juveniles charged with criminal offenses feel free to contact Attorney Barry Simons at 949-497-1729 or fill out a Confidential Questionnaire.