The Juvenile Court handles cases involving abused, neglected, or dependent children, as well as cases involving juvenile delinquency. Juvenile Court is unique in its focus on the team approach and problem-solving with an emphasis on assisting families with wraparound services.

Child Welfare: The purpose of Juvenile Court in child protection is to provide care and protection for children and to preserve and strengthen family and community connections. Children and families receive early, intensive family engagement, advocacy, and access to services and supports provided by skilled professionals, including the judiciary, attorneys, child welfare teams, foster parents, and other community partners. The court considers recommendations from all parties in making a determination about the safest and most appropriate placement for a child. Guardian ad Litem attorneys are appointed by the court to represent children in child welfare cases.

Delinquency: The purpose of Juvenile Court in delinquency is to promote public safety and individual accountability, support the development of responsible citizenship, prevent future delinquent behavior by eliciting positive behavior change, and provide services and treatment interventions based on the individual needs of each youth. Most youth who have contact with Juvenile Court for delinquency offenses do not proceed to become adult criminal offenders. The court assists youth in changing behavior and gaining the skills to become productive adults by providing effective case planning using the evidence-based Principles of Effective Intervention. In addition to case planning and interventions, the Juvenile Court provides the work restitution program, mediation services, and other programs aimed at addressing accountability, competency development, and community safety.