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Juvenile Delinquency

In juvenile delinquency cases, a child (less than 18 years old) is alleged to have broken a law ranging from being out past curfew to a charge of murder. Special court procedures have been created to deal with children who break the law that are separate from the adult criminal process. Most Juvenile Court delinquency cases are not open to the public, except for serious crimes committed by children over the age of 16. Juvenile Court judges and staff work with other government agencies and community organizations to develop programs that help to ensure a safe and healthy environment for juveniles.

Certifying a Minor as an Adult

In some cases, the court can "certify" a child to be tried as an adult. A prosecutor starts the adult certification process by filing a "motion" (a formal request) after a delinquency Petition has been filed. Juveniles must be at least fourteen (14) to seventeen (17) years old and the alleged offender must meet certain criteria for a motion to certify as an adult can be filed.

If a child is certified as an adult, the juvenile court’s jurisdiction over the case ends, and the case is transferred to adult criminal court. (See MN Rule of Juvenile Procedure #18 and Minn. Stat. § 260B.125)

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