juvenile courts
Minor offender courts
Juvenile courts are specialized courts that handle legal matters involving minors—typically those under eighteen.
These courts address delinquency cases (crimes committed by young people) and dependency cases (abuse, neglect, or custody matters).
The juvenile system traditionally emphasizes rehabilitation over punishment, operating with less formal procedures than adult criminal courts: The case was transferred to juvenile court because the defendant was only fifteen.
- second chanceRenewed opportunity after failure
- judgeOne who decides
- childPerson before puberty
- youth offenderMinor who breaks law
- family courtsTribunals handling household disputes
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- criminal justicearrest, jail, prison, crime, guilty
- courtsdistrict courts, federal courts, circuit courts, municipal courts, trial courts
- legal systemsconstitutional law, judiciary, criminal code, penal code, laws
- juvenile justiceyouth detention, detention center, youth courts, youth offenders, young offenders
- lower courtsdistrict courts, municipal courts, county courts, city courts, family courts
- orphan careorphanages, orphans, foundlings, foster care, foster homes
juvenile courtscriminal courts
Forums adjudicating offenses
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