How are juvenile cases resolved in court?

In Florida, juvenile cases are resolved through a court process known as adjudication. During the adjudication process, a judge hears the facts of the case, hears the arguments of both parties, and then decides how to best resolve the matter. The judge may decide that the juvenile must face criminal charges (if the juvenile is found to be delinquent), or that the juvenile is to be placed on probation or other court-ordered programs or rehabilitation. In some cases, the judge may also order a juvenile to pay a fine, restitution, or both. In other cases, a judge may decide to keep the juvenile in the custody of a juvenile detention center or other mandated facility until the matter is resolved. Additionally, the judge may choose to transfer the juvenile to adult court, in which case the juvenile is tried under the same laws as adults. If the court decides the juvenile is guilty of a crime, the judge may then hand down a sentence. Depending on the severity of the crime and the juvenile’s prior criminal history, the sentence could be as light as community service or as severe as time in a juvenile facility. In cases where the juvenile is determined to be delinquent, the judge can order the juvenile to attend counseling, participate in community service, seek employment, or a variety of other programs as conditions of probation. The judge may also require the juvenile to receive supervision while on probation and, in some cases, the judge may order restitution to the victim of the crime. Ultimately, the goal of the adjudication process is to keep juveniles out of the adult criminal justice system and on the path to rehabilitation.

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