Which term best describes the formal charges filed in juvenile court?

Which term best describes the formal charges filed in juvenile court?

• A. Indictment
• B. Information
• C. Disposition
• D. Petition

Answer: (D)

In juvenile court, the formal charging document that starts the case is called a petition. It lays out the allegations that the juvenile has engaged in a delinquent act and requests actions or remedies from the court, such as supervision, services, or placement. This is different from adult criminal court, where formal charges are called indictments or informations. A disposition, by contrast, is not the charging document but the court’s final decision or sentence after adjudication, describing what will happen to the juvenile moving forward (probation, treatment, or placement).

In juvenile court, the formal charging document that starts the case is called a petition. It lays out the allegations that the juvenile has engaged in a delinquent act and requests actions or remedies from the court, such as supervision, services, or placement. This is different from adult criminal court, where formal charges are called indictments or informations. A disposition, by contrast, is not the charging document but the court’s final decision or sentence after adjudication, describing what will happen to the juvenile moving forward (probation, treatment, or placement).