Juvenile Court Jurisdiction
Typically, juvenile courts have jurisdiction over most cases involving minors up to a certain age. The age of majority ranges from 16 to 18, meaning in some states, minors of age 16 or 17 may be tried as adults for all offenses.
Some states have a minimum age of competence, at which point juveniles are prosecuted. Others do not define the age of competence but allow the courts to determine competence on a case-by-case basis.
| State |
Juvenile Court Jurisdiction - Youngest * |
Juvenile Court Jurisdiction - Oldest ** |
| Alabama |
|
17 |
| Alaska |
|
17 |
| Arizona |
8 |
17 |
| Arkansas |
10 |
17 |
| California |
|
17 |
| Colorado |
10 |
17 |
| Connecticut |
|
18 |
| Delaware |
|
17 |
| District of Columbia |
|
17 |
| Florida |
|
17 |
| Georgia |
|
16 |
| Hawaii |
|
17 |
| Idaho |
|
17 |
| Illinois |
|
16 |
| Indiana |
|
17 |
| Iowa |
|
17 |
| Kansas |
10 |
17 |
| Kentucky |
|
17 |
| Louisiana |
10 |
16 |
| Maine |
|
17 |
| Maryland |
7 |
17 |
| Massachusetts |
7 |
16 |
| Michigan |
|
16 |
| Minnesota |
10 |
17 |
| Mississippi |
10 |
17 |
| Missouri |
|
16 |
| Montana |
|
17 |
| Nebraska |
|
17 |
| Nevada |
|
17 |
| New Hampshire |
|
16 |
| New Jersey |
|
17 |
| New Mexico |
|
17 |
| New York |
7 |
15 |
| North Carolina |
6 |
15 |
| North Dakota |
7
|
17 |
| Ohio |
|
17 |
| Oklahoma |
|
17 |
| Oregon |
|
17 |
| Pennsylvania |
10 |
17 |
| Rhode Island |
|
17 |
| South Carolina |
|
16 |
| South Dakota |
10 |
17 |
| Tennessee |
|
17 |
| Texas |
10 |
16 |
| Utah |
|
17 |
| Vermont |
10 |
17 |
| Virginia |
|
17 |
| Washington |
|
17 |
| West Virginia |
|
17 |
| Wisconsin |
10 |
16 |
| Wyoming |
|
17 |
* Earliest age at which a juvenile court may exercise jurisdiction over a child. States not noted determine the jurisdiction of the court based on case law and circumstances demonstrating the child's competence, or lack thereof.
** Maximum age at which a juvenile court may exercise jurisdiction over a minor. However, some crimes are, by statute, tried in adult court. Also, juvenile court judges can refer a case to "regular" court. Therefore, many juveniles under the maximum jurisdictional age limit for juvenile court may be processed through the adult court system.
This table is believed to be accurate as of August 2009. This table is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be relied upon. Many factors besides the maximum/minimum ages for jurisdiction impact whether a minor is tried in juvenile court or adult court, and the specifics vary from state to state.
For legal advice, consult a criminal defense attorney in your state. Simply fill out our free attorney evaluation form or call 877-445-1059 today and we will connect you with an attorney in your area for your no-obligation consultation .