How are Juvenile cases different from adult crimes?
Juvenile cases are handled in separate court facilities, presided over by juvenile judges whom conduct all of the hearings and trials. There are no juries involved in juvenile trials, due to confidentiality requirements. Therefore, the judge assigned to a child’s case presides over all aspects of the case, from the initial detention hearing, to arraignment, Pre Trial Conference, and when necessary, trial. No juries are used in juvenile matters. Instead, the judge acts in the capacity of the jury and evaluates whether the State has met its burden of proof for the crime(s) alleged.
