US Laws, Codes, Statutes & Cases

      38-1605.   Venue. (a) Venue for proceedings in any case involving an alleged juvenile offender shall be in any county where any act of the alleged offense was committed.

      (b)   Except as provided in subsection (c), venue for sentencing proceedings in any case involving a juvenile found to be a juvenile offender shall be in the county of the juvenile's residence or, if the juvenile is not a resident of this state, in the county where the offense was committed. When the sentencing hearing is to be held in a county other than the county where the offense was committed, upon adjudication, the judge shall contact the sentencing court and advise the judge of the transfer. The court adjudicating the juvenile shall send forthwith to the sentencing court a facsimile of the complaint, the adjudication journal entry or judge's minutes, if available, and any recommendations in regard to sentencing. Such documents shall be sent for purposes of notification and shall not constitute original court documents. The court adjudicating the juvenile shall also send to the sentencing court a complete copy of the official file in the case by mail within five working days of the adjudication.

      (c)   If the juvenile is adjudicated in a county other than the county of the juvenile's residence, the hearing may be held in the county in which the adjudication was made if the adjudicating judge, upon motion by the complainant or any person authorized to appeal, finds that it is in the best interests of the juvenile offender and the community that the sentencing hearing be held in the county where the act was committed.

      History:   L. 1982, ch. 182, § 63; L. 1996, ch. 229, § 43; L. 1999, ch. 51, § 1; Apr. 15.