What You Need to Know About the Juvenile Court Process

Introduction

Going to court can be very confusing! This guide will help you understand what will happen as you go through the juvenile court system in the City of Alexandria.

You can be brought to juvenile court for many reasons. You may be charged with a delinquent or traffic offense. You may have to appear in juvenile court for not attending school or running away.

Going to court can be confusing. You might not understand everything that is happening and what you are supposed to do. It is important that you and your parents know how the court system works, including who works in the juvenile justice system and what their job responsibilities are. This guide is to help you understand what may happen as you go through the juvenile court system. It explains basic facts about the juvenile justice system. You and your parents should read it carefully.

How to use this guide. There are 6 chapters in this guide.

• Chapter 1 outlines your legal rights.
• Chapter 2 shows the steps in the juvenile justice system.
• Chapter 3 explains how you enter the juvenile justice system.
• Chapter 4 describes different kinds of court hearings.
• Chapter 5 tells about some things that may happen after going to court.
• Chapter 6 provides a list of community programs of the 18th District Court Service Unit in Alexandria, Virginia.

There are definitions on each page for terms that are used on that page for the first time. There is also a glossary at the end of this guide that explains each of the terms discussed. Stop and look at the glossary if you don’t understand terms used in this guide.