JUVENILE-DEPENDENCY
COURT
The Juvenile Dependency
Court is responsible for processing all matters involving minors under the
age of 18, which have been a victim of neglect or abuse by their guardians
or parents. The main goal of the Dependency Court is to provide
safety for these children and to ensure that the children receive a
permanent home, either through re-unification with their parents, long
term foster care or through adoption.
Information on the Dependency Courts
Information for the Parents
Dependency Quick Guide
When You Become 18 - A Survival Guide for Teenagers
JUVENILE-DELINQUENCY
COURT
The Juvenile Delinquency
Court handles proceedings that involve most persons under the age of 18
who have been alleged to have committed a violation of a law or statute.
The purpose of the delinquency court is to protect the community from
children who commit acts of delinquency.
Information for Parents on Delinquency Courts
Information for Victims
Riverside Youth Court
- Diversion and Prevention Through Accountability and Education
When You Become 18 - A Survival Guide for Teenagers
JUVENILE COURT LOCATIONS
Riverside Juvenile
Court
9991 County Farm Road
Riverside, Ca. 92503
951.358.4137
Business Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Map & Driving Directions
Southwest Justice
Center
30755-D Auld Road Suite 1226
Murrieta, Ca. 92563
951.304.5000
Business Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Map & Driving Directions
Indio Juvenile Court
47-671 Oasis Street
Indio, Ca. 92201
760.863.8992
Business Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Map & Driving Directions
DEPENDENCY MEDIATION
Dependency Mediation is a
non-adversarial process in which a specially trained mediator is available
to assist the parties in reaching a mutually acceptable resolution that
focuses on the child's health, safety and best interests. Safety includes
and refers to the physical, psychological, emotional stability and
permanence of the child(ren). A family must have an open CPS case to
participate in Juvenile Dependency Mediation. Dependency Mediation
services shall be impartial and professional.
The traffic division
processes juvenile cases involving only infractions.
You may pay a traffic infraction by telephone, online, or in person unless
the citation indicates it is a mandatory appearance. If a mandatory
appearance is required minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal
guardian.
All other cases, including non-traffic misdemeanor charges are processed
at Juvenile Court.
JUVENILE TRAFFIC
The traffic division
processes juvenile cases involving only infractions.
You may pay a traffic infraction by
telephone,
online, or in person
unless the citation indicates it is a mandatory appearance. If a
mandatory appearance is required minors must be accompanied by a parent or
legal guardian.
All other cases, including non-traffic misdemeanor charges are processed
at Juvenile Court.
CONFIDENTIALITY
The
Riverside County Juvenile Courts limits access to juvenile court records
in accordance with Welfare and Institution Code Section 827.
These
records are restricted to the minor, parents or guardians, attorneys
involved in the case, court personnel, or by someone designated by a
Juvenile Court Judge upon filing a petition. In addition, photo
identification is also required.
Juvenile court records may not be obtained or inspected by civil or
criminal subpoena.
Petition For
Disclosure Of Juvenile Court Records
SEALING OF RECORDS
Under Welfare and
Institutions Code Section 781, a person who has a juvenile record my
petition the court to have those records sealed.
Petition to Seal Juvenile Records
Order to
Seal Juvenile Records
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
There are many costs
associated with juvenile cases. Depending on the type of costs, the
minor and/or parent(s) may be responsible for the full amount owed until
paid. Some of these costs can include fines, detention costs,
attorney's fees and restitution.
Information on Financial Responsibility
HOW TO REQUEST COPIES
Access to juvenile records
are restricted to the minor, parents, or guardians, and/or the attorneys
involved in the case. Photo identification is required.
Requests for copies may be
made in person at the Juvenile Court location where the case is filed.
The fee for copies is
$0.50 per page. If certification is requested, and additional $15.00
per document will be assessed. The court does not charge the
minor for copies.
When requesting copies,
please provide the following information:
- Minor's name
- Case Number
- Date of birth (if
known)
- Specific documents
requested
Copies of Juvenile records
CAN NOT be requested by mail.
CHILDREN'S ROOM
AVAILABILITY
Riverside Juvenile
Court Children's Room:
The children's Room is available for children who are on the court's
calendar for the day and are between 4 years and 17 years of age.
The
Children’s Room is staff by Riverside County’s Office of Education between
the hours of 7:30am and 4:30pm. Parent/Guardians are encouraged to bring
lunch for child(ren). We ask that children be checked into children's
room an hour and a half before the scheduled hearing time and that they
are picked up an hour and a half after case is concluded.
Southwest Justice Center
Children’s Room:
A Children’s Room is available for minors
between 4 years and 17 years of age. The Children’s room is staff edby
Riverside County’s Office of Education between the hours of 8:00am and
5:00pm. The Children’s room is closed during the lunch hour from 12:15pm
to 1:15pm. Room size is limited and children will be accepted on a first
come, first serve basis.
At this time, Indio Court does not have
a Children's room available.
COURT CHECK-IN PROCESS
All persons enterning the Juvenile Court
will be subjected to security screening.
All personal belongings will subject to search by security personnel prior
to entering the Juvenile Court.
DRESS CODE:
The dress
code at Juvenile Court is strictly enforced. Shorts, tank tops, bare
midriffs, flip-flops and bare feet are NOT permitted.
CELL PHONES, PAGERS, AND OTHER
ELECTRONIC DEVICES: All individuals are required to turn off or
set to silent all electronic devices that emit sounds that may interrupt
court proceedings.
RIVERSIDE/INDIO JUVENILE COURT:
Upon entering the Juvenile Court for your scheduled hearing, you must
first check-in with the Sheriff Deputies at the front security desk for
both dependency and delinquency matters.
SOUTHWEST JUVENILE COURT:
Upon entering the Juvenile court for your scheduled hearing, you may
proceed to the courtroom that you have been assigned. You must then
check-in with the Sheriff Deputy inside the courtroom.
JUVENILE AFFILIATED AGENCIES
MORE INFORMATION
The Judicial Council offers self help
topics relating to Juvenile matters that will answer a lot of questions
relating to the Juvenile court and it's many functions.
California Self Help Center
Reference Information
FORMS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The forms needed are:
Petition for Termination of Guardianship
Order
Terminating Guardianship
Contact your local Juvenile Court for filing procedures.
Depending on what you are
seeking to modify, you can use the
Request
to Change Court Order for the request for the
modification.
Please consult your
attorney prior to filing this form to ensure that you are following the
appropriate procedure and using the correct form.
Contact your attorney as soon as possible.
- How do I become
emancipated?
The Judicial Council
website has an
Emancipation Pamphlet,
which explains the requirements for emancipations.
In Riverside County, emancipations are filed and heard in the Civil
Courts.
- How do I appear on a
warrant?
Notify your attorney of
record and they will ask the court to have it added to the calendar.
- My child is a
troublemaker and has not committed any crimes. Can I make my child a
ward of the court?
Contact the
Riverside
County Probation Department for further
information.
- How do I obtain a
police report?
You can file a
Petition to
Obtain the Report of Law Enforcement with the court. If
approved, the Petition and Order is then taken by the parties to the
appropriate law enforcement agency and they will provide a copy.
There is an
Information pamphlet available regarding De Facto parenting on the
Judicial Council website. The necessary forms are:
De Facto
Parent Request
De Facto
Parent Statement
De Facto
Parent Order
Yes, a parent or legal guardian must appear with their child for court
hearings.
There are numerous hearings held on Juvenile cases. These are the
most common:
Initial/Detention
Hearing - A hearing by a judicial officer of a juvenile court to
determine whether a juvenile is to be detained or released while
juvenile proceedings in the case are pending.
Jurisdiction Hearing
- A hearing in where the parties either admit or deny the allegations
that are contained within the petition.
Pre-Trial Hearing -
Is a proceeding prior to trial/contest used to narrow the issues to be
tried, obtain stipulations as to matters and evidence to be heard, and
to take any steps necessary to aid in the disposition of the case.
Trial - Is a
contested hearing in where the decision of wardship or dependency will
be decided by the court after a trial in conducted and testimony is
given by witnesses.
Disposition Hearing
- A hearing in juvenile court to determine the most appropriate form of
custody and/or treatment for a juvenile who has been adjudged a
delinquent, status offender, or a dependent.
Review Hearings - In
300 dependency matters the review hearings are set to determine if
family reunification is appropriate. In 600 delinquency matters
the review hearings are set to monitor the progress of the ward.
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