Basic Legal Knowledge
Procedures during criminal hearings
Juvenile Court
Arresting procedure, my rights and obligations
Free or subsidized legal assistance
Protection for victims
Punishment and sentencing options
Criminal records and the Rehabilitation of Offenders Ordinance
Protection to young offenders
There is a presumption under the common law known as doli incapax, whereby a child under 14 years of age was presumed not to have sufficient understanding of what is right or wrong and therefore incapable of forming the intent to commit a crime. It is for the prosecution rebut this presumption to prove that the child in question knew that what he or she had committed was seriously wrong. Failing to rebut this presumption would result in the charge being dismissed against the child.
There are some differences between an adult court and a juvenile court:
- The juvenile court is not open to the public.
- A juvenile’s parent or guardian shall accompany the juvenile at all stages of the court proceedings, unless the court otherwise orders.
- No person shall publish any written report or broadcast a report which would lead to the identification of any juvenile in the proceedings. This includes restricting the publishing of the name, address, or school of the juvenile.