Juvenile Court General Info / FAQs

I have received a letter from the court; what do I do?

• Read the letter CAREFULLY... It will give you either a number to call or a date and time to appear in court for your first hearing. Follow the instructions.

My child has been arrested; what do I do?

• If you child has been arrested and brought to detention, a screening probation officer will call you and will give you the necessary information. You may ask questions at that time.

• If your child has been arrested and released to you or another adult, wait to hear from the court. The prosecutor screens these cases and decides whether or not to file charges. Sometimes they do not file based on the officer's report. However, you need to wait to hear from the court. The Prosecuting Attorney's Office does not take calls from youth or their parents.

The court has issued a warrant for my child's arrest; what do I do?

• Contact your child's attorney or juvenile probation counselor to talk about what your child's options are. The court does offer juveniles the opportunity to "quash" (remove) the warrant. You may discuss this option with the attorney or probation counselor. You also may call 206-205-9590 for more information about the warrant quashing process.

My child is out of control; what do I do?

• You may call 206-205-9732 to talk with someone about whether your child's behavior meets the requirements for filing an At-risk Youth Petition to request the assistance of the court.

Get answers to other Frequently Asked Questions.