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Juvenile matters are confidential and information
cannot be given over the phone. The minor, parents, legal guardian(s) or
attorney(s) of record may view files by appearing at the Superior Court of
Kings County with photo identification. The Juvenile
Delinquency Processing Clerk
is located in the Criminal Division-Hanford of the Superior Court of
Kings County located at 1426 South Drive, Hanford, CA 93230. The Juvenile
Dependency Processing Clerk
is located in Division-Lemoore of the Superior Court of Kings
County located at 449 C Street, Lemoore, CA 93245. The clerks
are unable to answer any phone inquiries related to juveniles and or
juvenile filings.
Pursuant to 676(b) of the Welfare and Institution
Code members of the public shall be admitted on the same basis as they may
be admitted to trials in a court of a criminal jurisdiction to hearings
concerning petitions filed pursuant to
Section 602 this is regarding
specific types of violations such as violent crimes. For information if a
case is open to the public pursuant to the above code contact the juvenile
processing clerk located in the Criminal Division of the Superior Court of
Kings County at (559) 582-1010 extension: 3051.
If you wish to view the Welfare and Institution
Codes, they are available through the California Law web
site located at
www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html.
Then, follow the directions for finding the code(s) you
are interested in.
All traffic citations involving juveniles are
processed and heard by the Kings County Probation Department. For
questions regarding a citation contact the Kings County Probation
Department at (559) 582-3211 extension 2850. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to
5:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday.
Juvenile Delinquency cases are held in Department 5
of the Superior Court of Kings County located at the Probation Department
1400 W. Lacey Blvd., Hanford, CA 93230, Monday thru Wednesday at 8:15 a.m.
and Thursday and Friday at 8:15 a.m. in Department 4 of the Superior Court
of Kings County which is reserved for juvenile detentions only. The
juvenile division is located in the Criminal Division of the Superior
Court of Kings County located at 1426 South Drive, Hanford, CA 93230.
Office Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday. Telephone
number (555) 582-1010 extension 3035.
Juvenile Dependency cases are heard in Department 11
of the Superior Court of Kings County located at 449 “C” Street, Lemoore,
CA 93245 Telephone number (555) 924-7757. Wednesday and Thursday at 1:00
p.m. and Friday at 8:30 a.m. Monday and Tuesdays juvenile detentions are
heard at 11:00 a.m. in Department 4 of the Superior Court of Kings County
located at 1426 South Drive, Hanford, CA 93230.
Juvenile records are confidential. The minor,
parents, legal guardian(s) or attorney(s) of record may obtain copies of
court minute orders and selected court documents by appearing at the
Criminal Division of the Superior Court of Kings County with photo
identification for records concerning delinquency cases or the Lemoore
Division of the Superior Court of Kings County with photo identification
for records concerning dependency cases. The records will not be mailed.
There is a 50 cent per page fee for photo copies. (See fees)
Pursuant to 676(b) of the Welfare and Institution
Code members of the public shall be admitted on the same basis as they may
be admitted to trials in a court of a criminal jurisdiction to hearings
concerning petitions filed pursuant to
Section 602 this is regarding
specific types of violations such as violent crimes. For information
regarding if a case is open to the public pursuant to the above code
contact the juvenile processing clerk located in the Criminal Division of
the Superior Court of Kings County.
If you wish to view the Welfare and Institution
Codes, they are available through the California Law web
site located at
www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html.
Then, follow the directions for finding the code(s) you
are interested in.
Other persons wishing to review a case file must
utilize the “Petition for Disclosure of Juvenile Court Records Welfare and
Institutions pursuant to Code 287” (JV 570) you may obtain a copy of the
form from the court or from web site found at
www.courtinfo.ca.gov/forms . The completed form may be presented
either in person or by mail but must contain an original signature. If
the petition is granted, viewing and or receipt of copies may only occur
with proper photo identification. The court may order a hearing as to the
request for disclosure, if so; you will be notified by mail as to the date
and time set for the hearing.
The Juvenile
Delinquency reception counter is located at
Kings
County Probation Department at (559) 582-3211 extension 2850. The hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. All copies are
50¢ per page.
The Dependency
reception counter is located 449 “C” Street, Lemoore, CA. The hours
are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. All copies are 50¢ per page.
The purpose of the juvenile delinquency court is to
protect, to give guidance and to protect the community and to prosecute
(punish) those juveniles who have violated penal law.
If your child becomes a ward of the court, the court
will make orders for you and your child so that your child and the
community will be protected. As a ward of the court your child may be
allowed to live in your home under court supervision or may be placed
outside your home in either an unlocked or locked facility, depending on
the age of the child, the seriousness of the offense and any prior
delinquency history.
Once the petition has been filed with the court you
will receive a copy of the petition indicating the charges your child has
been accused of committing. The petition may be mailed to you if your
child is out of custody with a notice of hearing or may be given to you at
the time of the hearing if your child is in custody.
Your child may be taken to the Kings County Juvenile
Center located at the Kings County Probation Department 1400 West Lacey
Blvd., Hanford, CA 93230 (this is the only juvenile detention facility in
Kings County) or your child may be taken to the police station rather than
to the probation department.
Any one of the following could occur:
- The arresting officer may release your child back
to your custody.
- The arresting officer may cite your child to
appear at the probation department.
- You and your child may be given a Notice to
Appear, indicating what violation your child has committed, a date and
time to appear at the Probation Department.
- Your child could be detained in the juvenile
center. Your child will be able to make three phone calls after
arrest. One to a parent or guardian. One to an employer if employed
and one to an attorney. If the Probation Officer is going to question
your child the officer must advise your child of their right to remain
silent, that anything you child says will be used against him or her,
that he or she has a right to an attorney and if they cannot afford one
the court will appoint an attorney. If you child is detained the
officer must take immediate steps to notify you.
If the arresting officer
decides to book your child into the juvenile center, it then becomes the
decision of the Probation Officer whether to detain or release. The
Probation Officer may let your child go home without asking the district
attorney to file a petition. Or, your child may go home and the probation
officer will refer the case to the district attorney who will decide
whether or not to file a petition.
If your child does not
return home, the law requires that a petition be filed usually within 48
hours from the time the child is taken into custody. If a petition is
filed the minor must go before the Juvenile Court Judge within 24 hours of
filing of the petition. There will be a court hearing, called a Detention
Hearing the next day that court is in session. (Courts are closed on
Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays). To detain or release then becomes the
decision of the judge.
Yes. Your child has a right to an attorney. If you
cannot afford to hire an attorney for your child, the court will appoint
an attorney to represent him or her.
Do I, as a parent, need an attorney?
No, not usually. But please note, if your child has
an attorney, the attorney represents your child and not you.
You and your child will be required to attend all
hearing, unless your appearance is specifically waived by your child’s
attorney. The hearings include:
1.
Detention Hearing or Arraignment Hearing: If your child is
detained in the Juvenile Center for more than 48 hours, there will be a
detention hearing in no more than 72 hours, counting only court business
days. The purpose of the detention hearing is for the judge to decide if
your child should go home before the next hearing, read the charges
against your child and appoint an attorney if you cannot afford one. If
your child was arrested, but never detained in the Juvenile Center, you
will receive notice of an arraignment hearing. ( a Notice of Hearing will
be mailed to you and your child.) The purpose of the arraignment hearing
is to read the petition containing the charges against your child and to
appoint an attorney for your child if you can not afford one.
2.
Pre-trial Hearing: a pre-trial hearing is held to allow the parties
in the matter to either resolve the case or to advise the court that they
are ready to proceed to trial.
3.
Jurisdiction Hearing: at the jurisdiction hearing, the judge will
decide whether or not your child committed the offense.
4.
Disposition Hearing: a disposition hearing is equivalent to a
sentencing hearing in adult court. If the judge finds that your child
committed the offense, then at the disposition hearing the judge will
decide what orders should be made about your child. If the judge finds
that your child did not commit the offense, there is no disposition
hearing. The disposition hearing is held 10 days after the jurisdiction
hearing
In addition to the above hearings, you and your child
may be required to attend any of the
following:
Fitness Hearing: if you child is at least 14 years old and is
charged with committing certain serious crimes, the district attorney may
ask the juvenile court to make a decision on whether your child should be
tried as an adult. At the hearing, the judge will decide whether your
child will be tried in adult court or juvenile court.
Review Hearings: in some cases, the law or the court may set
hearing to review your child’s progress and performance under supervision
of the Probation Department.
Restitution Hearing: if the court so orders, you and your
child may have to pay restitution to the victim. Restitution is money
paid to the victim for losses caused by your child’s illegal conduct.
Examples include lost wages, value of stolen and or damaged property and
medical expenses.
Unless you were the victim of your child’s crime you
may be held responsible for various fees, including your child’s attorney
fees; probation department services fees and placement costs for keeping
your child in a state placement such as the California Youth Authority, a
probation camp, or an out-of-home placement.
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