Tip of the Week – Was Your Client Properly Served? N.C.G.S. §7B-1805 requires that both the juvenile and the parent be personally served.  It is not permissible for the juvenile’s summons to be given to the parent or another person.  If your client does not appear in court, make sure to check the court file for proper service.  If your client was not personally served (i.e. the parent is in court and was served with your client’s summons) advocate that the juvenile not be fou

On Thursday, May 10, 2018, the North Carolina Bar Association Juvenile Justice and Children’s Rights Section held its annual meeting and training.  The topic was Raise the Age: A New Era for Juvenile Justice in North Carolina.  Speakers and panels focused on the impact of raise the age, not only in juvenile delinquency court, but also on child welfare, education and mental health.  Discussions also included the impact of school justice partnerships, as well as what attorneys

Late last year, John Rubin of the UNC School of Government and I published the 2017 edition of the North Carolina Juvenile Defender Manual. This edition was three years in the making.  In addition, its publication coincided with a year-long initiative to commemorate the 50th anniversary of In re Gault, 387 U.S. 1 (1967), the Supreme Court decision that transformed the protections for juveniles in delinquency cases. The new edition of the manual builds on the structure of the

WASHINGTON, DC — Youth in 21 states can be charged fees for the cost of probation supervision, placing a tremendous burden on young people and their families, according to an issue brief and corresponding infographic released today by the National Juvenile Defender Center. “These fees create a cycle of debt for families. Children are charged merely for being placed on probation, which exacerbates racial disparities and prolongs the length of time a young person is forced to s

Last month, the NC Court of Appeals in In the Matter of T.K. declined to extend the holding from In re D.S., 364 N.C. 184 (2010), in favor of a new holding placing some jurisdictional responsibility on Juvenile Court Counselors. The principal issue in In re D.S. was the timing with which a delinquency petition was filed. An SRO filed two separate complaints based on the same set of facts. The first petition charged the juvenile’s conduct as a simple assault and was filed on t

Legal Specialization │ Apply now through June 30th for board certification in juvenile delinquency law.  The 2017 exam is scheduled in both Charlotte and Raleigh If you are a prosecutor, public defender or public service lawyer, you may qualify for an NC LEAF scholarship to cover the specialization application fee. Contact Denise Mullen at 919-719-9255 or dmullen@ncbar.gov for more information or access an application HERE. You can also obtain more information about the stand