Glossary
Acquittal -- Court judgment that a juvenile is not guilty of the charges filed.
Adjudication hearing -- The trial; the court hearing to determine whether the defendant is guilty or innocent.
Adult -- In Virginia, a person at least 18 years old
Allegation -- A claim that a law has been broken. A community member, including your parents or guardian can make this statement.
Appeal -- A request that a case be sent to a higher court for review or rehearing.
Arrest -- Taking a person into custody for the purpose of charging him or her with an offense or starting court proceedings.
Attorney/Lawyer -- A person trained in law and licensed by the state who can advise, represent or act for persons in court.
Caseworker -- A professional counselor who helps a juvenile develop a treatment program to meet his or her needs. Probation officers and social workers are often called caseworkers.
Charge -- A formal allegation that a person has broken a law or committed an offense.
Child in Need of Supervision (CHINS) -- A child who is absent from school without a reason or who runs away from home.
Circuit Court -- Adult court of record. Also the court of appeal for the juvenile court.
Citation -- A written order to appear in court to answer a charge (usually traffic related).
Clerk -- The clerk sits near the judge, keeps records about your case and keeps track of the court schedule.
Code of Virginia -- Laws of Virginia that are recorded in a set of books often called the Code.
Commitment -- An order by a judge which transfers a juvenile’s legal custody to the State Department of Juvenile Justice.
Commonwealth -- Refers to the state of Virginia
Commonwealth’s Attorney/Prosecutor -- This is a lawyer who works for the state and is responsible for presenting the state’s evidence against those who are accused of breaking the law.
Complainant -- The person who brings a charge against the defendant.
Complaint -- A formal written accusation filed in court charging that you committed a specific offense.
Counsel -- Another term for a lawyer.
Court -- A setting in which formal testimony and evidence can be heard before a judge and decisions can be made about court cases.
Court Appointed Counsel -- This is a lawyer appointed by the court to represent a defendant who is unable to afford a private attorney.
Court Service Unit -- A part of the juvenile court system which includes intake, probation, parole supervision and other services.
Crime -- An act in violation of law; also referred to as an offense or delinquency.
Delinquent -- An act committed by a juvenile for which an adult could be prosecuted in criminal court.
Defendant -- The person that is accused of committing an offense.
Defense Attorney -- The lawyer who represents the defendant in court.
Department of Juvenile Justice -- A branch of the Virginia state government that is responsible for community and correctional services for juvenile delinquents.
Detention Hearing -- A hearing before a judge to determine whether a juvenile should be placed in detention, continue to be held in detention, or be released until the next court hearing.
Detention Center -- A secure facility where juveniles are held temporarily.
Disposition -- Sentencing; a court decision about what will happen to a youth who has been found guilty.
Dispositional Hearing -- Sentencing hearing. A court hearing to decide the most appropriate action in a case where a juvenile has been found guilty of the charges.
Divert -- To remove a youth from the juvenile system by referring the youth to a non-justice treatment program or simply discontinuing the case.
Family Assessment and Planning Team (FAPT) -- A team of professionals that meets with a family to work on treatment services.
Guilty -- A finding by the juvenile court judge that the defendant did commit the offense he or she has been charged with.
Hearing -- A court proceeding in which charges, evidence, and arguments are heard.
Innocent -- A finding by the judge that the defendant did not commit the offense he or she has been charged with.
Intake -- The first contact with the juvenile justice system in which the referral is reviewed and a decision is made to file a petition for court or divert the case.
Intake Officers -- Probation officers who review charges brought against a juvenile and decide how to handle each case.
Juvenile -- A person younger than age 18 (in Virginia)
Juvenile Correctional Facility -- A secure setting where sentenced juveniles are confined and receive 24 hour supervision, education, treatment services, recreational services, and a variety of special programs; a juvenile prison.
Juvenile Court Judge -- The court official who conducts the hearings for a case and makes the final decision as to what will happen. The Judge listens to both sides of the story and makes sure that the people in the courtroom follow the rules. The Judge decides if a person is guilty or not guilty of the charges. If a person is found guilty, the Judge will decide what kind of sentence he or she will get and how long the sentence will last.
Juvenile Record -- The official written file containing a court summary and information about a juvenile.
Law -- A set of rules to govern people’s actions which are enforced by the police and the court.
Legal Custody -- A legal status assigned by the court which gives a person or an agency the right to decide where and with whom a juvenile should reside as well as the responsibility to provide shelter, protection, medical care, food and education for the youth.
Legal Rights -- Rights provided for and protected by the law.
Minor -- Another term for ‘juvenile’.
Offense -- An act committed in violation of law.
Parole -- The court supervision of a juvenile after release from a juvenile correctional facility. Rules are set and must be followed.
Penalty -- A punishment given by the court to a convicted offender.
Petition -- A document filed at court intake alleging that a juvenile is delinquent, a child in need of supervision (CHINS), or an abused or neglected child.
Plea -- A defendant’s formal answer (guilty or not guilty) in court to the charges brought against him or her.
Police Officers -- A police officer’s job is to protect the community. If a juvenile is suspected of breaking the law, a police officer can make an arrest.
Probable Cause -- Based on the evidence presented, there is reason to believe that the alleged offense occurred and the person charged is responsible.
Probation -- The court supervision of a juvenile found guilty of the charges. Rules of probation are established and must be followed by the probationer.
Probation Officer -- A Court Services Unit employee who works with juveniles on probation to set rules for their behavior in school and in the community and helps them to get services to avoid future criminal activity.
Probation Violation -- A juvenile’s failure to follow the rules of probation, which can result in the juvenile’s return to juvenile court for further action.
Runaway -- A juvenile who has left his or her parent or guardian’s home without their consent and has not returned within a reasonable period of time.
Subpoena -- A court order requiring someone to attend court to provide documents and records.
Summons -- A court order requiring a person to appear in court at a specified time to testify.
Truant -- A juvenile between the ages of 6 and 17 who has over the legal limit of unexcused absences from school.
Witness -- A person who has personal knowledge important to a case and who can be summoned to court to give the judge this information.
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