How long do juvenile court proceedings take?

In New York, the length of a juvenile court proceeding will depend on the type of case and the complexity of the facts involved. Generally, a juvenile court proceeding can take anywhere from a few days to several months. In cases involving a minor accused of a minor offense, the process may only take a couple of days or weeks from start to finish. The process may include a hearing before the court so that the minor may enter a plea. If the minor chooses to plead guilty, a sentence may be imposed immediately. However, if the minor pleads not guilty, the court may adjourn the case for further investigation. In cases involving more serious offenses, the process may take longer as the court may need to decide whether the minor should be tried as an adult (“waiver” hearing) or as a juvenile (“adjudication” hearing). If the court finds that the minor should be tried as a juvenile, an adjudicatory hearing will take place to determine whether the minor has committed the offense. This hearing usually takes several weeks to complete. Finally, for any juvenile court proceeding, the court may also order special evaluations or hearings to determine individual facts. Depending on the scope of the evaluation or hearing, this may add additional time to the proceedings. In summary, the length of a juvenile court proceeding in New York can range from a few days to several months, depending on the type of case and the complexity of the facts involved.

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