Overview of Utah Juvenile Court

Today we’re going to give you an overview of what types of cases are handled in Utah juvenile courts and the rights of the youth in juvenile court.

Juvenile Court Cases

Kids who get into legal trouble over the following issues will likely have their case heard in juvenile court:

• Class A misdemeanors and Felonies
• Class B or C misdemeanors and Infractions
• Tobacco and Alcohol violations
• Any other infractions or misdemeanors specified by juvenile court judges
• Curfew
• Class B misdemeanors or traffic violations (for kids under 16)
• Boating laws
• Fish and Game laws

A Juvenile’s Rights

Kids do have rights in Utah juvenile courts. They include the right to:

• Appear in person to defend yourself
• Have a lawyer represent you or have one appointed to help you if you can’t afford to pay an attorney.
• Know what the state is accusing you of having done
• Not incriminate yourself
• A speedy trial and time to prepare for a defense
• Tell your own story and have witnesses tell their version of events
• Ask questions of people who are accusing you of wrongdoing
• An appeal; if you believe a higher court may not agree with the lower court’s decision to find you guilty

If you have more questions about either the types of cases handled in juvenile court or the rights of a child, it makes sense to contact a Utah juvenile defense attorney. Attorneys spend many years in school learning about the law and numerous hours throughout their careers continuing to enhance their legal knowledge in order to provide their clients with the best defense possible. Do your child a favor and talk to a Utah juvenile defense attorney today.