NCJ Number
120864
Date Published
1984
Length
2 pages
Annotation
The California Court of Appeal ruled in August 1984 that although juveniles should be entitled to jury trials, it was bound by California case law to deny a juvenile's request for a jury trial.
Abstract
Stemming from English common law, the California Constitution entitles a juvenile to trial by jury but precedent was set in a factual error in 1924 by the California Supreme Court. The real question at issue is whether delinquency proceedings are to be replaced with criminal trials. The Juvenile Justice Standards Project of the Institute of Judicial Administration/American Bar Association recently recommended six-person juries in juvenile adjudicatory proceedings. 15 notes.