Gale Encyclopedia of American Law Volume 6 P14 fully illuminates today's leading cases, major statutes, legal terms and concepts, notable persons involved with the law, important documents and more. Legal issues are fully discussed in easy-to-understand language, including such high-profile topics as the Americans with Disabilities Act, capital punishment, domestic violence, gay and lesbian rights, physician-assisted suicide and thousands more. | 118 JUVENILE LAW juveniles could appeal to the New Hampshire Superior Court and then to the New Hampshire Supreme Court. In 1996 the state legislature changed the law to allow only one appeal by a juvenile to the state supreme court . Rev. Stat. Ann. 169-B 29 . The period of time spent in a secure reformatory can vary. In many cases a juvenile committed to a reformatory must remain there until reaching the age of 18. However most states allow juvenile courts to retain jurisdiction over certain juveniles past the age of 18 at the request of a prosecutor or state agency representative. These holdovers are usually juveniles who have been adjudicated delinquent for a violent crime or have been adjudicated delinquent several times in separate proceedings. Some states also allow a juvenile court to order incarceration in adult prison for juveniles who are found to be delinquent past a certain age. In New Hampshire for example a juvenile found to be delinquent based on a petition filed after the juvenile s sixteenth birthday maybe sent to prison. If prison time is ordered it cannot extend beyond the maximum term allowed for adults or beyond the juvenile s eighteenth birthday . Rev. Stat. Ann. 169-B 19 . Some juveniles may be waived or transferred into adult court. In this procedure the juvenile court relinquishes its jurisdiction over the juvenile. Waiver is usually reserved for juveniles over a certain age varying from 13 to 15 who are accused of violent or other serious crimes. On the federal level for example a juvenile accused of committing a violent crime that is a felony may be tried in adult federal court. Waiver in federal court is also authorized for a juvenile accused of violating federal firearms laws or laws prohibiting the sale of controlled substances 18 . 5032 . The decision regarding relinquishing jurisdiction is usually made by the juvenile court. However most jurisdictions have statutes that automatically exclude from juvenile court .
