Juvenile Court jurisdiction

The juvenile court has jurisdiction over children under 17 years of age who are said to have committed a delinquent act or status offense. A delinquent act is one that would be a crime if it were committed by an adult. In contrast, a status offense is an act that would not be a crime if it were committed by an adult. Examples of status offenses are ungovernable behavior, being a runaway, and being truant (the behaviors listed in the table below are status offenses). The juvenile court also has jurisdiction over juveniles who commit traffic offenses. In addition, the court has jurisdiction over children aged 17 and younger who are considered to be abused, neglected, or deprived.

For youths who have been "sentenced" as juveniles, the court may retain supervision until they are 21. (Note that rather than actually being sentenced to punishment as adults are, juveniles are said to receive treatment with the goal of rehabilitation.) However, if a youth previously sentenced in juvenile court commits another offense after he or she is 17, the subsequent offense would be handled by an adult court.

If your child has been accused of a delinquent act or juvenile crime in Marietta GA or the Metro Atlanta area, you should contact  a skilled attorney to represent you and protect your interests. The Law Offices of  Kenneth R. Croy and Associates has  35 years of  experience both prosecuting and defending the rights of juveniles  in Georgia.  If you need an experienced Cobb County criminal law attorney call 770-422-0574. All initial phone consultations are free