Louisiana Children’s Code 312 – Juvenile jurisdiction over adults; criminal proceedings
Terms Used In Louisiana Children's Code 312
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
A. A court exercising juvenile jurisdiction shall have exclusive original jurisdiction, in conformity with any special rules prescribed by law, to try an adult for the following offenses:
(1) The crime of contributing to the delinquency or dependency of children as authorized by La. Rev. Stat. 14:92.1.
(2) Criminal neglect of family.
(3) The crime of improper supervision of a minor by parent or legal custodian as authorized by La. Rev. Stat. 14:92.2.
B.(1) Except as provided in Subparagraph (2) of this Paragraph, a district court shall have exclusive original jurisdiction, in conformity with any special rules prescribed by law, to try an adult for the following offenses:
(a) The crime of contributing to the delinquency of children as authorized by La. Rev. Stat. 14:92.
(b) Any other misdemeanor enacted for the protection of the physical, moral, or mental well-being of children.
(2) In Orleans Parish, jurisdiction pursuant to Subparagraph (1) of this Paragraph is vested in the criminal district court for that parish or the Municipal and Traffic Court of New Orleans.
C. If the defendant in any case within this Article is entitled to trial by jury and does not waive that right, the court shall transfer the case to its criminal docket or to the appropriate court having criminal jurisdiction.
Acts 1991, No. 235, §3, eff. Jan. 1, 1992; Acts 1995, No. 702, §1; Acts 1997, No. 569, §1; Acts 2011, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 28, §1; Acts 2017, No. 193, §1.