Juvenile courts review petitions and may order consequences

A designated reviewer decides whether filing a delinquency petition serves the best interests of the child and the public. This applies to petitions alleging delinquency under the juvenile court chapter. The review happens before the petition is filed.

The juvenile court decides whether the child is fit to proceed and lacked criminal responsibility. These decisions apply when fitness to proceed or criminal responsibility is at issue in a juvenile case. The court applies title 27 to fitness to proceed and chapter 12.1-04.1 to criminal responsibility.

A juvenile court may order sex offender registration, firearm restrictions, or limits on extracurricular activities; it may also suspend driving privileges. These possible consequences apply to a child in juvenile court; driving suspensions apply to the specified serious offenses. The court may suspend driving privileges only for an offense that would be a class A misdemeanor or felony if an adult committed it. The court may require the child to pass a suitable driving test before restoring driving privileges. A driving suspension may last up to six months for a first offense or up to one year for a later offense. Records must stay confidential and be destroyed when the suspension ends.

A court may order a parent to pay restitution on a child’s behalf. This applies to a parent of a child adjudged delinquent. The child must have been adjudged delinquent. The amount may not exceed $5,000.

The Department of Health and Human Services receives one-time funding to contract for evaluations of juveniles who may lack criminal responsibility. The funding is for juvenile evaluations concerning lack of criminal responsibility. The department may use up to $300,000, or only the amount needed. The one-time funding covers the period from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2027.