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Article 1 - General Provisions.
Section 12-15-101 - Purpose of the Alabama Juvenile Justice Act; Short Title; Goals for the Juvenile Court. - (a) This chapter shall be known as the Alabama Juvenile...
Section 12-15-102 - Definitions. - When used in this chapter, the following words and phrases...
Section 12-15-103 - Juvenile Court Judges May Be Circuit or District Court Judges; Maintenance of Separate Juvenile Case Action Summaries; Promulgation of Rules of Procedure for Juvenile Courts; Powers of Judges of Juvenile Courts as to Issuance of W... - (a) A circuit or district court judge may be designated...
Section 12-15-104 - Advisory Boards. - (a) The presiding juvenile court judge may appoint not less...
Section 12-15-105 - Exercise of Authority by District Attorneys in Juvenile Court Proceedings Generally; Assistance by District Attorneys in the Juvenile Courts; Representation of the State by District Attorneys in Cases Appealed From Juvenile Courts... - (a) The district attorney of the judicial circuit in which...
Section 12-15-106 - Juvenile Court Referees' Qualifications and Appointment; Conduct of Hearings of Cases by Juvenile Court Referees; Transmission of Findings and Recommendations for Disposition of Juvenile Court Referees to Juvenile Court Judges; Pr... - (a) Appointment of Referees. The Administrative Director of Courts may...
Section 12-15-107 - Juvenile Probation Officers - Duties of Juvenile Probation Officers Generally; Powers of Juvenile Probation Officers as to Taking Into Custody and Placing in Shelter or Detention Care of Children Generally; Procedure Upon Taking I... - (a) For the purpose of carrying out the objectives and...
Section 12-15-108 - Liability of Counties for Expenses of Maintenance and Care of Children Under the Jurisdiction of the Juvenile Court Pursuant to This Chapter; Reimbursement. - Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, all expenses necessary...
Section 12-15-109 - Issuance of Orders to Parents for Payment of Court Costs, Fees of Attorneys, and Expenses for Support, Treatment of Children Under the Jurisdiction of the Juvenile Court Pursuant to This Chapter; Manner of Payment; Proceedings Upo... - If, after making a parent, or other person legally obligated...
Section 12-15-110 - Punishment for Contempt of Court of Persons Disobeying Orders of the Juvenile Court Generally. - (a) Subject to the laws relating to the procedures therefor...
Section 12-15-111 - Contributing to the Delinquency, Dependency, or Need of Supervision of Children. - (a) It shall be unlawful for any parent, legal guardian,...
Section 12-15-112 - Interference With Performance of Duties by Juvenile Probation Officers. - (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to interfere...
Section 12-15-113 - Jurisdiction to Make a Parent or Parents, Legal Guardians, or Legal Custodians Parties to Juvenile Court Proceedings. - A juvenile court shall have the authority to make a...
Section 12-15-114 - Original Jurisdiction - Juvenile. - (a) A juvenile court shall exercise exclusive original jurisdiction of...
Section 12-15-115 - Original Jurisdiction - Civil. - (a) A juvenile court shall also exercise original jurisdiction of...
Section 12-15-116 - Original Jurisdiction - Criminal. - (a) A juvenile court shall have exclusive original jurisdiction to...
Section 12-15-117 - Retention and Termination of Jurisdiction Generally. - (a) Once a child has been adjudicated dependent, delinquent, or...
Section 12-15-117.1 - Continuing Jurisdiction of Juvenile Court to Modify and Enforce Judgments. - (a) The Legislature finds that it was its original intent...
Section 12-15-118 - Duties of Juvenile Court Intake Officers. - A person employed by the judicial branch of government who...
Section 12-15-119 - Informal Adjustment of Certain Cases Prior to Filing of Juvenile Petition. - After a verified complaint has been filed and before a...
Section 12-15-120 - Cases Initiated by Filing of Petitions by Juvenile Court Intake Officers. - (a) Delinquency, child in need of supervision, and dependency cases...
Section 12-15-121 - Form, Contents, and Execution of Juvenile Petitions. - (a) A juvenile petition alleging delinquency, in need of supervision,...
Section 12-15-122 - Issuance and Service of Summonses Generally; Waiver of Service of Summonses. - (a) After a petition alleging delinquency, in need of supervision,...
Section 12-15-123 - Manner of Service of Summons. - Service of summonses in cases filed in the jurisdiction of...
Section 12-15-124 - Authority of Juvenile Court to Make Interlocutory or Final Dispositional Orders in Cases Where Parties Served by Publication. - The juvenile court shall make interlocutory and final dispositional orders...
Section 12-15-125 - Taking Into Custody of Children Generally. - (a) A child or minor may be taken into custody...
Section 12-15-126 - Issuance of Pick-Up Order for Taking Into Custody. - If it appears from a sworn statement, written or verbal,...
Section 12-15-127 - Release, Delivery to Detention or Shelter Care Facility, Medical Facility of Children Taken Into Custody Generally. - (a) A person taking a child into custody without an...
Section 12-15-128 - Authority and Criteria for Continuation of Detention or Shelter Care of Children Taken Into Custody Beyond 72 Hours. - (a) An allegedly delinquent child, dependent child, or child in...
Section 12-15-129 - Conduct of Hearings Generally. - All hearings pursuant to this chapter shall be conducted by...
Section 12-15-130 - Ordering, Conduct, and Certification of Findings of Mental and Physical Examinations of Children; Minors or Children Believed to Be Individuals With a Mental Illness or an Intellectual Disability; Treatment or Care for Children; P... - (a) Where there are indications that a child may be...
Section 12-15-131 - Issuance of Orders Restraining Conduct of Parties to Proceedings. - In any proceeding commenced pursuant to this chapter, on motion...
Section 12-15-132 - Proceedings Against Children Violating Terms of Probation or Aftercare; Disposition of These Children. - (a) A child on probation or aftercare incident to an...
Section 12-15-133 - Filing and Inspection of Records. - (a) The following records, reports, and information acquired or generated...
Section 12-15-134 - Maintenance and Inspection of Law Enforcement Records. - (a) Law enforcement agencies shall take special precautions to ensure...
Section 12-15-135 - Taking and Disposition of Fingerprints, Photographs, Blood Samples. - (a) Fingerprints of a child who has been charged with...
Section 12-15-136 - Proceedings for Sealing Legal and Social Files and Records of Courts, Pertaining to Certain Persons and Effect Thereof. - (a) On motion of a person who has been the...
Section 12-15-137 - Proceedings for Destruction of Legal and Social Files and Records of Juvenile Courts Pertaining to Certain Persons and Effect Thereof. - (a) A person who has been the subject of a...
Section 12-15-138 - Power of Juvenile Courts to Enter Protection or Restraint Ex Parte Order; When Order May Be Entered; Purpose of Order. - The juvenile court, at any time after a dependency petition...
Section 12-15-139 - Requisites for Order; Notice and Hearing; Evidentiary Standard; Showing of Necessity to Protect Health or Safety of Child Subject to a Juvenile Court Proceeding, Best Interests of the Child. - A protection or restraint order may be issued by the...
Section 12-15-140 - Content of Order; Order May Set Forth Reasonable Conditions of Behavior for Parents, Persons Responsible for Care; Enumeration of Certain Specific Requirements Which May Be Included in Order. - (a) The protection or restraint order may set forth reasonable...
Section 12-15-141 - Emergency Ex Parte Orders Authorized Upon Showing of Verified Evidence of Abuse or Neglect; Evidence Required; Hearing Required Within 72 Hours of Issuance of Order. - The juvenile court may enter an ex parte order of...
Section 12-15-142 - Modification, Extension, or Termination of Order After Notice and Hearing for Person Subject Thereto; Findings Required Concerning Best Interests of the Child Subject to a Juvenile Court Proceeding. - After notice and opportunity for a hearing afforded to a...
Section 12-15-143 - Violations of Orders Punished as Contempt; Willful Conduct Rendering Violator Responsible for Court Costs and Attorney Fees. - (a) Any person violating an order of protection or restraint...
Section 12-15-144 - Construction of Sections; Sections to Be Read in Pari Materia With Certain Other Laws. - The provisions of Sections 12-15-138 to 12-15-143, inclusive, shall be...
Article 2 - Delinquency and Children in Need of Supervision.
Section 12-15-201 - Definitions. - For purposes of this article, the following terms and phrases...
Section 12-15-202 - Rights of the Child. - (a) Rights of the child when taken into custody. When...
Section 12-15-203 - Transfer of Cases From Juvenile Court. - (a) A prosecutor, before a hearing on a delinquency petition...
Section 12-15-204 - Acts for Which Person Who Has Attained Age 16 Shall Be Charged, Arrested, and Tried as Adult; Removal of Person From Jurisdiction of Juvenile Court. - (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any person who...
Section 12-15-205 - Venue Generally. - If delinquency or in need of supervision is alleged, proceedings...
Section 12-15-206 - Transfer of Delinquent and Child in Need of Supervision Proceedings Between Juvenile Courts Within the State. - If a child resides in a county of the state...
Section 12-15-207 - Filing of Petition and Conduct of Hearing as to Necessity for Continuation of Detention or Shelter Care of a Child; Violation of Probation and Aftercare. - (a) When a child is not released from detention or...
Section 12-15-208 - Facilities to Be Used for Detention or Shelter Care of Children Generally; When Child May Be Detained in Jail or Other Facility for Detention of Adults; Notification of Juvenile Court, When Child Received at Facility for Detention... - (a) Persons who shall not be detained or confined in...
Section 12-15-208.1 - Requirements for the Detainment of Juveniles. - (a) No person under the age of 18 years, including...
Section 12-15-209 - Children to Be Released When Full-Time Detention or Shelter Care Not Required; Conditions Imposed Upon Release; Amendment of Conditions or Return of Child to Custody Upon Failure to Conform to Conditions Imposed. - (a) When the juvenile court finds that full-time detention or...
Section 12-15-210 - Notification to Children of Right to Counsel; Appointment of Counsel by Juvenile Court. - (a) In delinquency and child in need of supervision cases,...
Section 12-15-211 - Suspension of Proceedings and Continuation of Cases Under Terms and Conditions Agreed to by Parties. - (a) The juvenile court may suspend delinquency or child in...
Section 12-15-212 - Conduct of Delinquency and Child in Need of Supervision Hearings. - (a) If the allegations are denied, the juvenile court shall...
Section 12-15-213 - Children Charged With Delinquent Acts or Alleged to Be in Need of Supervision to Be Accorded Privilege Against Self-Incrimination; Admissibility in Evidence of Extrajudicial Statements of Children and Evidence Illegally Seized or... - (a) A child charged with a delinquent act or who...
Section 12-15-214 - Ordering and Preparation of Study and Written Report Concerning Child; Ordering, Conduct, and Certification of Findings of Physical or Mental Examination of Child Prior to Hearing on Petition Generally; Examination of Parent, Lega... - The juvenile court may direct that a juvenile probation officer...
Section 12-15-215 - Disposition of Delinquent Children or Children in Need of Supervision Generally. - (a) If the juvenile court finds on proof beyond a...
Section 12-15-216 - Legislative Intent. - The Legislature reaffirms its belief that juvenile court records, in...
Section 12-15-217 - Notice of Delinquent Acts. - (a) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of Section 12-15-133, written notice that...
Section 12-15-218 - Order Requiring Parent, Legal Guardian, or Legal Custodian to Assist Child in Complying With Terms of Probation; Penalties; Exemptions. - (a) In all cases where a child has been granted...
Section 12-15-219 - Serious Juvenile Offenders; Disposition; Serious Juvenile Offender Review Panel; Facility and Programs. - (a) The juvenile court may find a child to be...
Section 12-15-220 - Orders of Disposition Not to Be Deemed Convictions, Impose Civil Disabilities, etc.; Disposition of Child and Evidence in Hearing Not Admissible in Another Court. - (a) An order of disposition or other adjudication in a...
Section 12-15-221 - Modification, Extension or Termination of Orders of Custody or Probation Generally. - (a) An order awarding legal custody or an order of...
Article 3 - Dependency and Termination of Parental Rights.
Section 12-15-301 - Definitions. - For purposes of this article, the following words and phrases...
Section 12-15-302 - Venue Generally. - (a) Dependency proceedings shall be commenced in the county where...
Section 12-15-303 - Transfer of Dependency Proceedings Between Juvenile Courts Within the State. - (a) If a dependency proceeding is commenced in a county...
Section 12-15-304 - Appointment by Juvenile Courts of Guardians Ad Litem. - (a) In all dependency and termination of parental rights proceedings,...
Section 12-15-305 - Right to Counsel for Petitioners or Respondent Parents, Legal Guardians, or Legal Custodians in Dependency Proceedings. - THIS SECTION WAS CREATED BY ACT 2008-277 IN THE 2008...
Section 12-15-306 - Removing a Child From the Custody of a Parent, Legal Guardian, or Legal Custodian. - (a) A child may be removed by a law enforcement...
Section 12-15-307 - Notice and Right to Be Heard to Be Given to Relatives, Preadoptive Parents, or Foster Parents. - Relative caregivers, preadoptive parents, and foster parents of a child...
Section 12-15-308 - Filing of Petition and Conduct of 72-Hour Hearing as to Necessity for Continuation of Shelter Care of a Child. - (a) When a child alleged to be dependent has been...
Section 12-15-309 - Alleged Dependent Child to Be Released When Continued Shelter Care Not Required; Conditions Imposed Upon Release; Amendment of Conditions or Return of Child to Custody Upon Failure to Conform to Conditions Imposed. - (a) When the juvenile court finds that continued shelter care...
Section 12-15-310 - Conduct of Adjudicatory Hearings. - (a) An adjudicatory hearing is a hearing at which evidence...
Section 12-15-311 - Dispositional Hearing. - (a) If the juvenile court finds from clear and convincing...
Section 12-15-312 - Reasonable Efforts in Judicial Determinations; Situations in Which Reasonable Efforts Are Not Required to Be Made. - (a) When the juvenile court enters an order removing a...
Section 12-15-313 - Ordering and Preparation of Report Concerning a Child and Family; Ordering, Conduct, and Certification of Findings of Physical or Mental Examination of Child Prior to Hearing on Petition Generally; Examination of Parent, Legal Gua... - (a) After a petition alleging dependency has been filed, the...
Section 12-15-314 - Dispositions for Dependent Children. - (a) If a child is found to be dependent, the...
Section 12-15-315 - Permanency Hearing for Department of Human Resources Cases Only. - (a) Within 12 months of the date a child is...
Section 12-15-316 - Modification, Extension, or Termination of Orders of Custody or Protective Supervision Generally. - An order awarding legal custody or an order of protective...
Section 12-15-317 - Who May File Petition. - The Department of Human Resources, any public or private licensed...
Section 12-15-318 - Service of Process. - (a) Except as otherwise provided by the Alabama Rules of...
Section 12-15-319 - Grounds for Termination of Parental Rights; Factors Considered; Presumption Arising From Abandonment. - (a) If the juvenile court finds from clear and convincing...
Section 12-15-320 - Dispositions. - (a) Termination of parental rights cases shall be given priority...
Section 12-15-321 - Periodic Review of Efforts to Achieve Adoption of Child in Custody of Another After Parental Rights Terminated. - Where the juvenile court has terminated the parental rights and...
Section 12-15-322 - Authority of One in Custody to Place Child for Adoption or Consent to Adoption. - Upon the termination of parental rights by the juvenile court...
Section 12-15-323 - Appeals of Dependency and Termination of Parental Rights Cases. - Appeals relating to dependency and termination of parental rights cases...
Section 12-15-324 - Applicability. - The provisions of Sections 12-15-317 and 12-15-319 as amended by...
Article 4 - Involuntary Commitment of Minors or Children.
Section 12-15-401 - Definitions. - For purposes of this article, the following words and phrases...
Section 12-15-402 - Authority and Procedure. - (a) The state, any county, any municipality, or any governmental...
Section 12-15-403 - Review of the Petition by the Juvenile Court. - (a) When at the time a petition is filed, a...
Section 12-15-404 - Service of the Petition. - Service of the petition upon the minor or child sought...
Section 12-15-405 - Notice of Hearing; Appointment of Counsel for the Minor or Child. - (a) When any minor or child against whom a petition...
Section 12-15-406 - Determination of Placement of the Minor or Child. - (a) At the time that a minor or child sought...
Section 12-15-407 - Probable Cause Hearings for Temporary Confinement of the Minor or Child. - (a) If the juvenile court finds it necessary to temporarily...
Section 12-15-408 - Conducting Hearings to Commit the Minor or Child. - At all hearings conducted pursuant to this section to commit...
Section 12-15-409 - Role of Attorney as Advocate; Designation of Facilities. - (a) An attorney representing the state, any county, or municipality...
Section 12-15-410 - Evidence in Commitment Proceedings for Minor and Child With an Intellectual Disability. - (a) At the final hearing upon a petition seeking to...
Section 12-15-411 - Discharge of the Minor or Child From Custody of the Department. - (a) Any minor or child committed to the custody of...
Section 12-15-412 - Retention of Jurisdiction. - The juvenile court committing any minor or child to the...
Section 12-15-413 - Combining Probable Cause and Final Hearings. - The probable cause hearing provided in Section 12-15-407 and the...
Article 5 - Multiple Needs Child Provisions.
Section 12-15-501 - Definitions. - For purposes of this article, the following words and phrases...
Section 12-15-502 - Referral of Multiple Needs Child Case to County Team. - After the filing of a petition alleging that a child...
Section 12-15-503 - Recommendation by County Team; Decision by Juvenile Court of Multiple Needs Child. - (a) Within 21 days of receipt of a juvenile court...
Section 12-15-504 - Creation of Executive Council of the State Team; Membership; Duties. - There is created an Executive Council of the State Team...
Section 12-15-505 - State Team Established; Membership; Term; Duties; Hiring Authority. - (a) The State Team is created and shall consist of...
Section 12-15-506 - County Teams Established; Appointments; Meetings; Duties. - (a) A county team is created in each county of...
Section 12-15-507 - Reimbursement Available for Team Member Expenses. - The members of the state and county teams shall be...
Section 12-15-508 - State Multiple Needs Children Fund Established; Use; Limitations; Accounting System to Be Maintained; Provisions for Yearly Audit. - (a) There is established in the State Treasury a fund...
Section 12-15-509 - Executive Council to Adopt Allocation Guidelines; Granting Role of State Team; Eligible Recipients; Prerequisites to Maintaining Funding; Penalty for Noncompliance; Reporting Requirement. - (a) The Executive Council of the State Team shall adopt...
Article 6 - Appeals.
Section 12-15-601 - Appeals From Judgments and Orders of Juvenile Courts. - A party, including the state or any subdivision of the...
Article 7 - Sexual Exploitation of child..
Section 12-15-701 - Definitions; Applicability of Prostitution Statutes; Procedures. - (a) For the purposes of this section, sexually exploited child...