(a) When the prosecuting attorney, the juveniles attorney, or the guardian ad litem has reasonable basis to believe that:
(1) A juvenile age 14 or older is incompetent to proceed in the delinquency action, that party shall file a motion for a determination of competency. The motion shall state any known facts to the movant of in support thereof. If the court raises the issue sua sponte, it shall, by written order, set forth the basis for ordering a competency evaluation.
(2) A juvenile under the age of 14 is competent to proceed in the delinquency action, the prosecuting attorney shall file a motion for determination of competency. The motion shall state the basis to believe the juvenile is competent to proceed despite the presumption of incompetency due to age and shall state any known facts to the prosecuting attorney in support of the motion. If the court raises the issue sua sponte, the court by written order shall set forth the factual basis supporting the finding that the juvenile is competent to proceed.
(b) Within 10 judicial days after a motion is made, the court shall make one of the following determinations regardless of which presumption applies:
(1) Find that there is compelling evidence that the juvenile is not competent to participate in the proceedings and dismiss the case pursuant to 49-4-727(d) of this code;
(2) Without conducting a hearing, find that there exists a reasonable basis to conduct a competency evaluation; or
(3) Schedule a hearing to determine whether there exists a reasonable basis to conduct a competency evaluation. The hearing shall be held within 30 judicial days. The courts determination shall be announced no later than three judicial days after the conclusion of the hearing.
(c) If the court determines there is a reasonable basis to order a competency evaluation pursuant to 49-4-731 of this code, or if the prosecutor and the juveniles attorney agree to the evaluation, the court shall order a competency evaluation. If the court orders a competency evaluation, the court shall order that the competency evaluation be conducted in the least restrictive environment, taking into account the public safety and the best interests of the juvenile.
(1) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this code, the court shall provide in its order that the qualified forensic evaluator shall have access to all relevant confidential and public records related to the juvenile, including competency evaluations and reports conducted in prior delinquent proceedings. The court shall provide to the qualified forensic evaluator a copy of the petition and the names and contact information for the judge, prosecutor, juveniles attorney, and parents or legal guardians.
(2) Within five judicial days after the court orders an evaluation, the prosecutor shall deliver to the evaluator copies of relevant police reports and other background information relevant to the juvenile that are in the prosecutors possession.
(3) Within five judicial days after the court orders an evaluation, the juveniles attorney shall deliver to the qualified forensic evaluator copies of police reports and other records including, but not limited to, educational, medical, psychological, and neurological records that are relevant to the evaluation and that are in the attorneys possession. Upon good cause shown, the court may extend the time frame to deliver these documents noting that time is of the essence.
Structure West Virginia Code
§49-4-101. Exercise of Powers and Jurisdiction by Judge in Vacation
§49-4-102. Procedure for Appealing Decisions
§49-4-104. General Provisions Relating to Court Orders Regarding Custody; Rules
§49-4-105. Hearing Required to Determine &Quot;reasonable efforts."
§49-4-106. Limitation on Out-of-Home Placements
§49-4-108. Payment of Services
§49-4-109. Guardianship of Estate of Child Unaffected
§49-4-110. Foster Care; Quarterly Status Review; Transitioning Adults; Annual Permanency Hearings
§49-4-112. Subsidized Adoption and Legal Guardianship; Conditions
§49-4-113. Duration of Custody or Guardianship of Children Committed to Department
§49-4-116. Voluntary Placement; Petition; Requirements; Attorney Appointed; Court Hearing; Orders
§49-4-201. Accepting Possession of Certain Relinquished Children
§49-4-202. Notification of Possession of Relinquished Child; Department Responsibilities
§49-4-203. Filing Petition After Accepting Possession of Relinquished Child
§49-4-204. Immunity From Certain Prosecutions
§49-4-205. Adoption Eligibility
§49-4-206. Designation of Local Fire Department as a Safe-Surrender Site; Posting Requirement
§49-4-401. Purpose; System to Be a Complement to Existing Programs
§49-4-403. Multidisciplinary Treatment Planning Process; Coordination; Access to Information
§49-4-404. Court Review of Service Plan; Hearing; Required Findings; Order; Team Member's Objections
§49-4-407. Team Directors; Records; Case Logs
§49-4-408. Unified Child and Family Case Plans; Treatment Teams; Programs; Agency Requirements
§49-4-409. After-Care Plans; Contents; Written Comments; Contacts; Objections; Courts
§49-4-410. Other Agencies of Government Required to Cooperate
§49-4-411. Law Enforcement; Prosecution; Interference With Performance of Duties
§49-4-412. Exemption From Multidisciplinary Team Review Before Emergency Out-of-Home Placements
§49-4-413. Individualized Case Planning
§49-4-503. Prosecuting Attorney to Represent Petitioner in Juvenile Cases
§49-4-504. Prosecuting Attorney Duty to Establish Multidisciplinary Investigative Teams
§49-4-601a. Preference of Child Placement
§49-4-601b. Substantiation by the Department of Abuse and Neglect
§49-4-605. When Department Efforts to Terminate Parental Rights Are Required
§49-4-606. Modification of Dispositional Orders; Hearings; Treatment Team; Unadopted Children
§49-4-607. Consensual Termination of Parental Rights
§49-4-609. Conviction for Offenses Against Children
§49-4-703. Juvenile Drug Courts; Hearing Officers
§49-4-706. Detention Hearing; Rights of Juvenile; Notification; Counsel; Hearings
§49-4-707. Review of Order Following Detention Hearing
§49-4-709. Right to Jury Trial for Juveniles; Inapplicability
§49-4-710. Waiver and Transfer of Jurisdiction
§49-4-714. Disposition of Juvenile Delinquents; Appeal
§49-4-717. Sexting Educational Diversion Program; Requirements
§49-4-718. Modification of Dispositional Orders; Motions; Hearings
§49-4-719. Juvenile Probation Officers; Appointment; Salary; Facilities; Expenses; Duties; Powers
§49-4-720. Prohibition on Committing Juveniles to Adult Facilities
§49-4-721. Rules Governing Juvenile Facilities; Rights of Juveniles
§49-4-722. Conviction for Offense While in Custody
§49-4-723. Discrimination Prohibited; Penalties; Damages
§49-4-724. Standardized Assessments
§49-4-725. Restorative Justice Programs
§49-4-727. Juvenile Competency Proceedings
§49-4-729. Motion for Determination of Competency, Time Frames, Order for Evaluation
§49-4-730. Juvenile Competency Qualified Forensic Evaluator; Qualifications
§49-4-731. Juvenile Competency Evaluation
§49-4-732. Hearing to Determine Juvenile S Competency to Participate in the Proceedings
§49-4-733. Procedure After Determination of Juvenile S Competency to Participate in the Proceedings
§49-4-734. Disposition Alternatives for Incompetent Juveniles
§49-4-735. Stay of Transfer to Criminal Jurisdiction
§49-4-801. Support of a Child Removed From Home Pursuant to This Chapter; Order Requirements
§49-4-802. General Provisions for Support Orders; Contempt
§49-4-803. Enforcement of Support Orders
§49-4-903. Interference With Disposition of Child Punishable as Contempt of Court