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Terms Used In Louisiana Children's Code 813

  • Child: means any person under the age of twenty-one, including an emancipated minor, who commits a delinquent act before attaining seventeen years of age. See Louisiana Children's Code 804
  • Clerk of court: An officer appointed by the court to work with the chief judge in overseeing the court's administration, especially to assist in managing the flow of cases through the court and to maintain court records.
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Delinquent act: means an act committed by a child of ten years of age or older which if committed by an adult is designated an offense under the statutes or ordinances of this state, or of another state if the offense occurred there, or under federal law, except traffic violations. See Louisiana Children's Code 804
  • 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.
  • 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.

A.  The court may issue an order directing that a child be taken into custody upon presentation to the court of a written statement of facts sworn to before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths, by a peace officer, probation officer, district attorney, or other person designated by the court alleging facts showing that there is probable cause to believe either that:

(1)  The child has committed a delinquent act.

(2)  The child has violated the terms of his probation or otherwise has violated the terms of his release.

B.  The verified complaint shall be filed with the clerk of court.  If it is filed after the child has been taken into custody, the complaint shall indicate whether the child was released to his parents or continued in custody.

C.  An order directing that a child be taken into custody may be executed by a peace officer or the child’s probation officer having territorial jurisdiction over the child.  The officer shall promptly notify the child’s parents that their child has been taken into custody.  The officer shall also promptly conduct the child to the appropriate facility in accordance with Article 815.

Acts 1991, No. 235, §8, eff. Jan. 1, 1992; Acts 1995, No. 1158, §1.