(a) A prosecutor, before a hearing on a delinquency petition on its merits and after notifying, verbally or in writing, the juvenile probation officer, may file a motion requesting the juvenile court judge to transfer a child for criminal prosecution to the circuit or district court, if the child was 14 or more years of age at the time of the conduct charged and is alleged to have committed an act which would constitute a criminal offense as defined by this code if committed by an adult.
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Terms Used In Alabama Code 12-15-203

  • circuit: means judicial circuit. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • following: means next after. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Preliminary hearing: A hearing where the judge decides whether there is enough evidence to make the defendant have a trial.
  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
  • writing: includes typewriting and printing on paper. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
(b) The juvenile court judge shall conduct a hearing on all motions for the purpose of determining whether it is in the best interests of the child or the public to grant the motion. Only if there are no reasonable grounds to believe the child is committable to an institution, department, or agency for individuals with an intellectual disability or mental illness, may the juvenile court judge order the case transferred for criminal prosecution.
(c) When there are grounds to believe that the child is committable to an institution, department, or agency for individuals with an intellectual disability or mental illness, the juvenile court judge shall order an examination pursuant to Section 12-15-130.
(d) Evidence of the following and other relevant factors shall be considered in determining whether the motion shall be granted:

(1) The nature of the present alleged offense.
(2) The extent and nature of the prior delinquency record of the child.
(3) The nature of past treatment efforts and the nature of the response of the child to the efforts.
(4) Demeanor.
(5) The extent and nature of the physical and mental maturity of the child.
(6) The interests of the community and of the child requiring that the child be placed under legal restraint or discipline.
(e) Prior to a hearing on the motion by the prosecutor, a written study and report to the juvenile court judge, relevant to the factors listed in subsection (d), shall be made by a juvenile probation officer.
(f) When a child is transferred for criminal prosecution, the juvenile court judge shall set forth in writing his or her reasons for granting the motion, which shall include a finding of probable cause for believing that the allegations are true and correct.
(g) The finding of probable cause by the juvenile court judge shall preclude the necessity for a preliminary hearing subsequent to the transfer of the case for criminal prosecution, and the court having jurisdiction of the offense or offenses charged may exercise any authority over the case and the child, subsequent to the transfer, which is otherwise applicable to cases involving adult offenders pursuant to provisions of laws or rules of procedure adopted by the Supreme Court of Alabama.
(h) A child who is transferred to a court for criminal prosecution shall be tried as an adult for the offense charged and all lesser included offenses of the offense charged.
(i) A conviction or adjudication as a youthful offender of a child of a criminal offense, with the exception of a nonfelony traffic offense, shall terminate the jurisdiction of the juvenile court over that child with respect to any future delinquent acts and with respect to any pending allegations of delinquency which have not been disposed of by the juvenile court at the time of the criminal conviction or adjudication as a youthful offender. Any pending or future criminal acts committed by the child shall be prosecuted as other criminal charges are prosecuted. Termination of the jurisdiction of the juvenile court over the child with respect to future criminal charges and pending allegations of delinquency, as provided herein, shall not affect the jurisdiction of the juvenile court over the child with respect to any other matter provided in this chapter, specifically including any prior allegations of delinquency which, at the time of the criminal conviction, has been disposed of by the juvenile court either through informal adjustment, consent decree, or adjudication. The juvenile court is specifically authorized, to the extent practicable, to continue exercising its jurisdiction over the child with respect to such previously disposed delinquency cases after the termination of its jurisdiction with respect to other criminal charges, including jurisdiction to enforce its order requiring the payment of fines, costs, restitution, or other money ordered by the juvenile court pursuant to Section 12-15-117.
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