Juvenile Order Probable Cause Hearing {J-343}

AOC-J-343 - JUVENILE ORDER – PROBABLE CAUSE HEARING. This form is used in the North Carolina District Court to document the findings and orders of the court following a probable cause hearing in a juvenile delinquency case where the juvenile is alleged to have committed a felony offense. Specifically, it applies when the juvenile was at least 13 years old at the time of the offense. The form allows the court to officially determine whether there is probable cause to believe that the juvenile committed the offense(s) and outlines the procedural steps that follow such a finding. The form may also be used when the juvenile's attorney waives the probable cause hearing and stipulates to a finding of probable cause. Based on either the hearing or the stipulation, the court indicates whether probable cause is found and specifies the nature of the offense—such as whether it is a Class A felony (which mandates transfer to Superior Court), another class of felony, or a misdemeanor. If probable cause is found for certain felonies, the form sets in motion the transfer process to Superior Court, where the juvenile may be tried as an adult. The form includes an order section where the judge may dismiss the case, retain jurisdiction in juvenile court for an adjudicatory hearing, or transfer the case to Superior Court. It may also order the juvenile to be fingerprinted or to submit a DNA sample, depending on the charges. G.S. 7B-2202. www.FormsWorkflow.com