(1) If a juvenile 14 years of age or older is accused of an act that if committed by an adult would be a felony, the judge of the family division of circuit court in the county in which the offense is alleged to have been committed may waive jurisdiction under this section upon motion of the prosecuting attorney. After waiver, the juvenile may be tried in the court having general criminal jurisdiction of the offense.
  (2) Before conducting a hearing on the motion to waive jurisdiction, the court shall give notice of the hearing in the manner provided by supreme court rule to the juvenile and the prosecuting attorney and, if addresses are known, to the juvenile’s parents or guardians. The notice shall state clearly that a waiver of jurisdiction to a court of general criminal jurisdiction has been requested and that, if granted, the juvenile can be prosecuted for the alleged offense as though he or she were an adult.

Terms Used In Michigan Laws 712A.4

  • Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
  • Court: means the family division of circuit court. See Michigan Laws 712A.1
  • 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.
  • firearm: except as otherwise specifically defined in statute, includes any weapon which will, is designed to, or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by action of an explosive. See Michigan Laws 8.3t
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • 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.
  • juvenile: means a person who is less than 17 years of age who is the subject of a delinquency petition. See Michigan Laws 712A.1
  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
  • Sentencing guidelines: A set of rules and principles established by the United States Sentencing Commission that trial judges use to determine the sentence for a convicted defendant. Source: U.S. Courts
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories belonging to the United States; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the district and territories. See Michigan Laws 8.3o
  • Transcript: A written, word-for-word record of what was said, either in a proceeding such as a trial or during some other conversation, as in a transcript of a hearing or oral deposition.
  (3) Before the court waives jurisdiction, the court shall determine on the record if there is probable cause to believe that an offense has been committed that if committed by an adult would be a felony and if there is probable cause to believe that the juvenile committed the offense. Before a juvenile may waive a probable cause hearing under this subsection, the court shall inform the juvenile that a waiver of this subsection waives the preliminary examination required by chapter VI of the code of criminal procedure, Act No. 175 of the Public Acts of 1927, being section 766.1 to 766.18 of the Michigan Compiled Laws.
  (4) Upon a showing of probable cause under subsection (3), the court shall conduct a hearing to determine if the best interests of the juvenile and the public would be served by granting a waiver of jurisdiction to the court of general criminal jurisdiction. In making its determination, the court shall consider all of the following criteria, giving greater weight to the seriousness of the alleged offense and the juvenile’s prior record of delinquency than to the other criteria:
  (a) The seriousness of the alleged offense in terms of community protection, including, but not limited to, the existence of any aggravating factors recognized by the sentencing guidelines, the use of a firearm or other dangerous weapon, and the impact on any victim.
  (b) The culpability of the juvenile in committing the alleged offense, including, but not limited to, the level of the juvenile’s participation in planning and carrying out the offense and the existence of any aggravating or mitigating factors recognized by the sentencing guidelines.
  (c) The juvenile’s prior record of delinquency including, but not limited to, any record of detention, any police record, any school record, or any other evidence indicating prior delinquent behavior.
  (d) The juvenile’s programming history, including, but not limited to, the juvenile’s past willingness to participate meaningfully in available programming.
  (e) The adequacy of the punishment or programming available in the juvenile justice system.
  (f) The dispositional options available for the juvenile.
  (5) If the court determines that there is probable cause to believe that an offense has been committed that if committed by an adult would be a felony and that the juvenile committed the offense, the court shall waive jurisdiction of the juvenile if the court finds that the juvenile has previously been subject to the jurisdiction of the circuit court under this section or section 606 of the revised judicature act of 1961, Act No. 236 of the Public Acts of 1961, being section 600.606 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, or the recorder’s court of the city of Detroit under this section or section 10a(1)(c) of Act No. 369 of the Public Acts of 1919, being section 725.10a of the Michigan Compiled Laws.
  (6) If legal counsel has not been retained or appointed to represent the juvenile, the court shall advise the juvenile and his or her parents, guardian, custodian, or guardian ad litem of the juvenile’s right to representation and appoint legal counsel. If the court appoints legal counsel, the judge may assess the cost of providing legal counsel as costs against the juvenile or those responsible for his or her support, or both, if the persons to be assessed are financially able to comply.
  (7) Legal counsel shall have access to records or reports provided and received by the judge as a basis for decision in proceedings for waiver of jurisdiction. A continuance shall be granted at legal counsel’s request if any report, information, or recommendation not previously available is introduced or developed at the hearing and the interests of justice require a continuance.
  (8) The court shall enter a written order either granting or denying the motion to waive jurisdiction and the court shall state on the record or in a written opinion the court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law forming the basis for entering the order. If a juvenile is waived, a transcript of the court’s findings or a copy of the written opinion shall be sent to the court of general criminal jurisdiction.
  (9) If the court does not waive jurisdiction, a transcript of the court’s findings or, if a written opinion is prepared, a copy of the written opinion shall be sent to the prosecuting attorney, juvenile, or juvenile’s attorney upon request.
  (10) If the court waives jurisdiction, the juvenile shall be arraigned on an information filed by the prosecutor in the court of general criminal jurisdiction. The probable cause finding under subsection (3) satisfies the requirements of, and is the equivalent of, the preliminary examination required by chapter VI of Act No. 175 of the Public Acts of 1927.
  (11) As used in this section, “felony” means an offense punishable by imprisonment for more than 1 year or an offense designated by law as a felony.
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