Juvenile courts-concurrent jurisdiction clarification.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide details on how cases involving individuals aged 18-20 will be handled by both juvenile and regular courts.

Clarifying Juvenile Court Jurisdiction for Young Adults

This law clarifies that juvenile courts have concurrent jurisdiction over cases involving individuals under age 21 who were minors when they committed offenses or delinquent acts.

What This Bill Does

• Amends the law to clarify that the juvenile court has concurrent jurisdiction in cases where a person between ages 18 and 20 is alleged to have committed an offense or violated a municipal ordinance while under age 18.

Who It Names or Affects

• People aged 18 to 20 who were minors when they committed offenses or delinquent acts.
• Juvenile courts that will now handle cases involving individuals up to age 20 for offenses committed as minors.

Terms To Know

concurrent jurisdiction

When two different courts can both hear and decide on a case.

juvenile court

A special court that deals with cases involving young people who break the law or need help from the legal system.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how cases are handled for minors under age 18.
• It is unclear if this will affect all types of crimes committed by those aged 18 to 20, only when they were younger than 18 at the time of the offense.

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 23LSO-0094
Bill No.:

HB0009

Effective:

7/1/2023

LSO No.:

23LSO-0094

Enrolled Act No.:

HEA No. 0071

Chapter No.:

150

Prime Sponsor:

Joint Judiciary Interim Committee

Catch Title:

Juvenile courts-concurrent jurisdiction clarification.

Subject:

Clarifying the jurisdiction of juvenile courts for persons over age 18 charged with acts committed as minors.

Summary/Major Elements:

Current law provides that the juvenile court has concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in all cases where a minor is alleged to have committed a criminal offense or to have violated a municipal ordinance.

This act provides that the juvenile court has concurrent jurisdiction in those cases in which a person over age eighteen (18), but under age twenty-one (21), is alleged to have committed a criminal offense or to have violated a municipal ordinance while the person was a minor.

The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent.

While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Current Bill Text

23LSO-0094

ORIGINAL House

Bill No
.
HB0009

ENROLLED ACT NO. 71,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SIXTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2023 General Session

AN ACT relating to juveniles; clarifying that the juvenile court has concurrent jurisdiction over Juvenile Justice Act proceedings involving persons under the age of 21 who are alleged to have committed offenses or delinquent acts as minors; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 14
‑
6
‑
203(c) is amended to read:

14
‑
6
‑
203.

Jurisdiction; confidentiality of records.

(c)

Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, the juvenile court has concurrent jurisdiction in all cases, other than status offenses, in which
:

(i)

A
minor is alleged to have committed a criminal offense or to have violated a municipal ordinance
;

(ii)

An adult who is under the age of twenty-one (21) is alleged to have committed a criminal offense or to have violated a municipal ordinance while the adult was a minor
.

Section 2
.

This act is effective July 1, 2023
.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the House.

Chief Clerk

1