Juvenile Justice (Delinquency)

Juvenile justice actions begin when a minor is charged with breaking the law.

  • If the court finds the allegations (charges) to be true, the minor is declared a "ward" of the court and usually is placed on probation with terms and conditions that are designed to hold the minor accountable for the minor's behavior and enable the minor to become a law-abiding and productive member of the community.
     
  • The court must balance the interests of public safety and protection, the importance of victim restitution, and the best interests of the minor when deciding what conditions of probation to impose and where to place the minor if removal from the home is necessary.

Panorámica del Tribunal de Justicia de Menores ESPAÑOL


For additional information about juvenile justice proceedings, see Judicial Council form JV-060-INFO (Juvenile Justice Court - Information for Parents).

Juvenile Court Orientation Video - This 13-minute video is designed to help youth, their parents, and victims of juvenile crime understand juvenile justice proceedings.

Some juvenile justice cases involving serious offenses are open to the public.  Please refer to this list of offenses that are presumed open to the public and today's calendar of these hearings. 

Contact Juvenile Department 1 at (858) 634-1501 for information. If you are a member of the media and want to attend an upcoming Juvenile Court hearing, please view the Juvenile Court Media Policy for information on how to request media access to Juvenile Court proceedings.