What is the difference between a juvenile court and a family court?

The difference between juvenile court and family court is an important one for understanding the way a particular case may proceed in New York. Juvenile court is a court of law that deals specifically with people under the age of 18 who have been accused of criminal activity. Juvenile court has two primary goals: rehabilitation of the child, and protection of the public. Cases heard in juvenile court can range from misdemeanors to more serious felonies. If the accused is found guilty, the judge may order the person to participate in a rehabilitation program, as opposed to sending them to jail. Family court is a court of law that deals with civil issues, such as family-related legal matters like divorce, child custody, and adoption. Its main goal is to settle disputes between family members, and to protect the best interest of any minors involved. The cases heard in family court are not criminal in nature, and thus no one is sent to jail. Instead, a judge will usually order the involved parties to take part in some sort of counseling or therapy program. In short, the main difference between juvenile court and family court is that the former deals with criminal cases, while the latter deals purely with family-related civil cases.

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What is the difference between a juvenile court and a family court?

What is the difference between a juvenile court and a family court?

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