Terms Used In Michigan Laws 712A.6a

  • Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
  • 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
  • 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
   The parent or guardian of a juvenile who is within the court‘s jurisdiction under section 2(a)(1) of this chapter shall attend each hearing held under this chapter unless the court excuses the parent or guardian from attendance for good cause. A parent or guardian who fails to attend the juvenile’s hearing without good cause may be held in contempt and subject to fines. Failure of a parent or guardian to attend a hearing, however, is not grounds for an adjournment, continuance, or other delay of the proceeding and does not provide a basis for appellate or other relief.