Comments on: Can I be tried in adult court?

By: John

John — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 20:57:49 +0000

If a juvenile commits a crime and that crime is not discovered until the juvenile is and adult where are they tried?
(I am curious because of the Martha Moxley murder and the argument that it should have been tried in the juvenile system.)
Dear John: Every state has its own laws regarding the charging of juveniles in the juvenile justice system as opposed to the adult criminal system. Generally, once a minor turns 18, he or she is an adult and the juvenile court loses jurisdiction. This may be different in the state you’re concerned with, so you need to Google the name of the state and “juvenile court jurisdiction.” For certain offenses (violent crimes, for example) juveniles may be automatically placed in adult court for the offense. Good luck.
(This is information only – not legal advice).

By: Shantel Nobles

Shantel Nobles — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:30:24 +0000

I read in the newspaper about 3 men being charged with capital murder for robbery, rape, etc. One of the 3 men is a juvenile. Since he is not considered an adult can he be tried in Texas as an adult since it was a serious crime leading to the death of one of the victims.
Judge Tom’s response:
Whether a minor is tried as an adult depends entirely on the laws of the state where the offense occurred. So, Texas law and the court will decide if the teen involved in this incident will be prosecuted as a juvenile or an adult.

By: cindy kreider

cindy kreider — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 16:24:23 +0000

y son is being tried as an adult and i was wondering what my rights were as far as being involved. am i also to recieve any papers pertaining to his case. is it the atty’s right not to make sure i get the docs or does he have to give them to me.

Judge Tom’s response:
This is a good question that many parents ask when their kids are in court and have their own lawyer. You must first understand that your son’s attorney represents him only. The attorney has no obligation to you. Also the local rules of court apply as well as your state’s laws about juvenile proceedings. As the parent you have the right to attend all hearings but not necessarily participate. Try to obtain information about the case and the various stages of prosecution from his lawyer or the prosecutor’s office. You might also try the victim’s assistance office if there is one in your area. There may also be a probation officer already assigned to the case and that person may be able to keep you current on the proceedings.