What is the power of a juvenile court judge?

In California, juvenile court judges have the power to make legal decisions that affect the lives of young people who are accused of breaking the law. These decisions can range from ordering a person to participate in educational or rehabilitative programs, to assigning court-mandated counseling, to even transferring jurisdiction of a juvenile to adult court. Juvenile court judges also have the power to assign criminal penalties such as fines, community service and, depending on the nature of the crime, even a jail sentence. In California, they also have the power to determine if a juvenile is fit to stand trial as an adult. In many cases, this power will be used to determine whether a juvenile can be tried in adult criminal court. Juvenile court judges also have the power to issue orders of protection in cases where a juvenile is the victim of domestic violence, abuse or neglect. These orders can provide the necessary restrictions, such as prohibiting the alleged offender from coming into contact with the juvenile, that can help keep the juvenile safe from further harm. Finally, juvenile court judges have the power to make decisions regarding child custody, visitation rights and child support payments. These decisions can have long-lasting effects on juveniles and their families. For this reason, it is important that juvenile court judges take into account all of the evidence when making a decision.

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