Miss. R. Youth Ct. Prac. 10

As amended through October 31, 2024

Rule 10 - Valid Court Order

(a) Valid court order for a child in need of supervision who has committed a status offense. A child in need of supervision who has committed a status offense shall not be held in secure juvenile detention longer than twenty-four (24) hours prior to and twenty-four (24) hours after an initial appearance, with the exception of a child who is an out-of-state runaway pending return to the child's home state, unless:

(1) the court has issued a valid court order which contains:

(i) an advisement of rights, including:

the right to have the petition served on the child in a reasonable time before the hearing;

the right to a hearing on the petition before the court;

the right to an explanation of the nature and consequences of the proceedings;

the right to remain silent; the right to legal counsel and, if indigent, the right to appointed legal counsel;

the right to present and confront witnesses;

the right to a transcript of the proceedings; and the right to appeal; and

(ii) a warning that a violation of the valid court order is contempt of court and may result in the child being ordered to a secure juvenile detention facility;

(2) reasonable oral or written notice of the time, place and purpose of the contempt hearing for the violation of the valid court order is given to the child, the child's parent, guardian or custodian, the child's guardian ad litem, if any, and the child's counsel.

Notice shall be satisfied if the following notice is placed in capital letters at the bottom of the valid court order and is acknowledged on the record by the child, the child's parent, guardian or custodian, the child's guardian ad litem, if any, and the child's counsel:

A VIOLATION OF THIS VALID COURT ORDER IS CONTEMPT OF COURT AND MAY RESULT IN YOU BEING ORDERED TO SECURE JUVENILE DETENTION. IF A REPORT OR COMPLAINT OF A VIOLATION OF THIS VALID COURT ORDER IS RECEIVED BY THIS COURT, YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDED TO APPEAR BEFORE THIS COURT WITHIN 72 HOURS OF YOUR ORIGINAL SECURE JUVENILE DETENTION PERTAINING TO THE VIOLATION OF THE VALID COURT ORDER, EXCLUDING SATURDAYS, SUNDAYS, AND STATUTORY STATE HOLIDAYS FOR A CONTEMPT HEARING ON THE VIOLATION OF THE VALID COURT ORDER. YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO BE REPRESENTED BY AN ATTORNEY. YOU ARE REQUESTED TO IMMEDIATELY NOTIFY THIS COURT OF THE NAME OF YOUR ATTORNEY. IF INDIGENT, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO HAVE AN ATTORNEY APPOINTED FREE OF CHARGE, AND YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY APPLY TO THIS COURT FOR SUCH APPOINTED COUNSEL. YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO SUBPOENA WITNESSES IN YOUR BEHALF. THIS NOTICE SHALL BE LEGAL AND SUFFICIENT NOTICE TO YOU, YOUR PARENT(S), GUARDIAN, OR CUSTODIAN, YOUR GUARDIAN AD LITEM, IF ANY, AND YOUR COUNSEL WITH RESPECT TO SUCH HEARING;

but in any event, if the child's parent, guardian or custodian cannot be found, the court may hold the hearing in the absence of the child's parent, guardian or custodian;

(3) the court conducts a probable cause hearing within twenty-four (24) hours of the child being ordered to secure juvenile detention, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and statutory state holidays, for the violation of the valid court order;

(4) the court conducts an adjudication hearing within seventy-two (72) hours of the original secure juvenile detention for the violation of the valid court order, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and statutory state holidays; and

(5) the court conducts a separate and distinct disposition hearing within seventy-two (72) hours of the original secure juvenile detention for the violation of the valid court order, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and statutory state holidays, and in which:

(i) the Department of Human Services, Division of Youth Services submits to the court a written report that contains: a review of the child's behavior; a determination of the reasons for that behavior; and a determination that all other dispositions other than secure juvenile detention are inappropriate;

(ii) the court makes the determination, based upon the written report and other evidence before the court, that all other dispositions other than secure juvenile detention are inappropriate; and

(iii) the court specifies in the disposition order: the number of days the child is to be held in secure juvenile detention; that the secure juvenile detention complies with federal and state laws; and that the court may, within its discretion, suspend the secure juvenile detention should a less restrictive alternative become available.

(b) Valid Court Order Exception Form. If a child is taken into custody upon an order of the court for a violation of a valid court order, and such custody is prior to the child being adjudicated in contempt for the violation, the court shall complete and sign a Valid Court Order Exception Form and send a copy thereof to the secure juvenile detention facility.

Comments & Procedures

Rule 10.

This rule comports with the statutory procedures. See Miss. Code Ann. § 43-21-301(6) (2008). It also satisfies the federal laws and regulations in holding status offenders in secure juvenile detention. Contempt for a violation of a valid court order requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

"Valid court order", in the context of Rule 10 of these rules, is a distinct term that identifies any order holding a status offender in secure juvenile detention. Its usage originated when Congress, in response to the problem of status offenders disobeying court orders, amended the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 by passing a "valid court order exception." See Claire Shubik & Jessica Kendall, Rethinking Juvenile Status Offense Laws: Considerations for Congressional Review of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, 45 Fam. Ct. Rev. 384, 388-89 (2007) (discussing the rationale for the passage of the "valid court order exception"). Federal agencies closely scrutinize all valid court orders to ensure compliance with the statutory exception.

Four core protections requiring State compliance.

The JJDP Act, through the 2002 reauthorization, establishes four core protections with which participating States and territories must comply to receive grants under the JJDP Act:

-Deinstitutionalization of status offenders (DSO).

-Separation of juveniles from adults in institutions (separation).

-Removal of juveniles from adult jails and lockups (jail removal).

-Reduction of disproportionate minority contact (DMC), where it exists.

Meeting the core protections is essential to creating a fair, consistent, and effective juvenile justice system that advances the important goals of the JJDP Act. OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION,U.S.DEP'T OF JUSTICE,GUIDANCE MANUAL FOR MONITORING FACILITIES UNDER THE JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION ACT OF 2002 1 (SEPTEMBER 2003).

Rule 10(a)(2).

This provision comports with the statutory procedures. See Miss. Code Ann. §§ 43-21-309(2), -503 (2008).

Rule 10(b).

Within twenty-four (24) hours of the time the child is taken into custody for a violation of a valid court order, if such is prior to the child being adjudicated in contempt for the violation, the appropriate public agency must: be notified that the child is being held in custody; interview the child in person; and submit an assessment on the needs of the child to the court that issued the order. See 28 C.F.R. § 31.303 (2008).

The Valid Court Order Assessment Report.

The Valid Court Order Assessment Report requires the appropriate public agency worker to:

state the name of the juvenile facility in which the child was placed;

state the date of the placement; state the name of the person conducting the interview;

describe the circumstances, events, and/or behaviors relevant to the incident;

describe the immediate needs of the child;

describe the most appropriate placement alternatives available for the child pending a disposition on the alleged violation; and

sign and date the assessment report.

Federal Requirements

These rules require compliance with federal laws and regulations which impact funding for cases within the jurisdiction of the youth court. See U.R.Y.C.P. 7. Failure to comply results in the loss of federal monies crucial in achieving the best interests of the child and the interest of justice. Federal laws and regulations applicable to valid court orders include:

Valid court order means.

42 U.S.C. § 5603 (2008) provides in part:

(16) the term "valid court order" means a court order given by a juvenile court judge to a juvenile--

(A) who was brought before the court and made subject to such order; and

(B) who received, before the issuance of such order, the full due process rights guaranteed to such juvenile by the Constitution of the United States; . . .

Status offender means.

28 C.F.R. § 31.304 (2008) provides in part:

(h) Status offender. A juvenile offender who has been charged with or adjudicated for conduct which would not, under the law of the jurisdiction in which the offense was committed, be a crime if committed by an adult.

Secure detention facility means.

42 U.S.C. § 5603 (2008) provides in part:

(12) the term "secure detention facility" means any public or private residential facility which-

(A) includes construction fixtures designed to physically restrict the movements and activities of juveniles or other individuals held in lawful custody in such facility; and

(B) is used for the temporary placement of any juvenile who is accused of having committed an offense, any nonoffender, or of any other individual accused of having committed a criminal offense; . . .

Status offenders who violate a valid court order excluded from prohibition of secure detention.

42 U.S.C. 5633 (2008) provides in part:

[A State plan to receive formula grants] . . .

(11) shall, in accordance with rules issued by the Administrator, provide that-

(A) juveniles who are charged with or who have committed an offense that would not be criminal if committed by an adult, excluding- . . .

(ii) juveniles who are charged with or who have committed a violation of a valid court order; . . . shall not be placed in secure detention facilities or secure correctional facilities; . . .

Monitoring of detention facilities.

28 C.F.R. § 31.303 (2008) provides in part:

(3) Valid court order. For the purpose of determining whether a valid court order exists and a juvenile has been found to be in violation of that valid order all of the following conditions must be present prior to secure incarceration:

(i) The juvenile must have been brought into a court of competent jurisdiction and made subject to an order issued pursuant to proper authority. The order must be one which regulates future conduct of the juvenile. Prior to issuance of the order, the juvenile must have received the full due process rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States.

(ii) The court must have entered a judgment and/or remedy in accord with established legal principles based on the facts after a hearing which observes proper procedures.

(iii) The juvenile in question must have received adequate and fair warning of the consequences of violation of the order at the time it was issued and such warning must be provided to the juvenile and to the juvenile's attorney and/or legal guardian in writing and be reflected In the court record and proceedings.

(iv) All judicial proceedings related to an alleged violation of a valid court order must be held before a court of competent jurisdiction. A juvenile accused of violating a valid court order may be held in secure detention beyond the 24-hour grace period permitted for a noncriminal juvenile offender under OJJDP monitoring policy, for protective purposes as prescribed by State law, or to assure the juvenile's appearance at the violation hearing, as provided by State law, if there has been a judicial determination based on a hearing during the 24-hour grace period that there is probable cause to believe the juvenile violated the court order. In such case the juveniles may be held pending a violation hearing for such period of time as is provided by State law, but in no event should detention prior to a violation hearing exceed 72 hours exclusive of nonjudicial days. A juvenile alleged or found in a violation hearing to have violated a Valid Court Order may be held only in a secure juvenile detention or correctional facility, and not in an adult jail or lockup.

(v) Prior to and during the violation hearing the following full due process rights must be provided:

(A) The right to have the charges against the juvenile in writing served upon him a reasonable time before the hearing;

(B) The right to a hearing before a court;

(C) The right to an explanation of the nature and consequences of the proceeding;

(D) The right to legal counsel, and the right to have such counsel appointed by the court if indigent;

(E) The right to confront witnesses;

(F) The right to present witnesses;

(G) The right to have a transcript or record of the proceedings; and

(H) The right of appeal to an appropriate court.

(vi) In entering any order that directs or authorizes the placement of a status offender in a secure facility, the judge presiding over an initial probable cause hearing or violation hearing must determine that all the elements of a valid court order (paragraphs (f)(3)(i), (ii) and (iii) of this section) and the applicable due process rights (paragraph (f)(3)(v) of this section) were afforded the juvenile and, in the case of a violation hearing, the judge must obtain and review a written report that: reviews the behavior of the juvenile and the circumstances under which the juvenile was brought before the court and made subject to such order; determines the reasons for the juvenile's behavior; and determines whether all dispositions other than secure confinement have been exhausted or are clearly inappropriate. This report must be prepared and submitted by an appropriate public agency (other than a court or law enforcement agency).

(vii) A non-offender such as a dependent or neglected child cannot be placed in secure detention or correctional facilities for violating a valid court order.

Miss. R. Youth Ct. Prac. 10

The Uniform Rules of Youth Court Practice were revised by order entered 7/17/2012.