California · Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC

WIC §707.01: (a) If a minor is found an unfit subject to be dealt with under the juvenile court law pursuant to Section 707, then the following shall apply: (1) The jurisdiction of the juvenile court with respect

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

This statute defines procedures for handling minors found unfit for juvenile court, including when their cases transfer to criminal court and when jurisdiction of juvenile and youth authorities continues or terminates.

Read the full statutory text
(a) If a minor is found an unfit subject to be dealt with under the juvenile court law pursuant to Section 707, then the following shall apply: (1) The jurisdiction of the juvenile court with respect to any previous adjudication resulting in the minor being made a ward of the juvenile court that did not result in the minor’s commitment to the Youth Authority shall not terminate, unless a hearing is held pursuant to Section 785 and the jurisdiction of the juvenile court over the minor is terminated. (2) The jurisdiction of the juvenile court and the Youth Authority with respect to any previous adjudication resulting in the minor being made a ward of the juvenile court that resulted in the minor’s commitment to the Youth Authority shall not terminate. (3) All petitions pending against the minor shall be transferred to the court of criminal jurisdiction where one of the following applies: (A) Jeopardy has not attached and the minor was 16 years of age or older at the time he or she is alleged to have violated the criminal statute or ordinance. (B) Jeopardy has not attached and the minor is alleged to have violated a criminal statute for which he or she may be presumed or may be found to be not a fit and proper subject to be dealt with under the juvenile court law. (4) All petitions pending against the minor shall be disposed of in the juvenile court pursuant to the juvenile court law, where one of the following applies: (A) Jeopardy has attached. (B) The minor was under 16 years of age at the time he or she is alleged to have violated a criminal statute for which he or she may not be presumed or may not be found to be not a fit and proper subject to be dealt with under the juvenile court law. (5) If, subsequent to a finding that a minor is an unfit subject to be dealt with under the juvenile court law, the minor is convicted of the violations which were the subject of the proceeding that resulted in a finding of unfitness, a new petition or petitions alleging the violation of any law or ordinance defining crime which would otherwise cause the minor to be a person described in Section 602 committed by the minor prior to or after the finding of unfitness need not be filed in the juvenile court if one of the following applies: (A) The minor was 16 years of age or older at the time he or she is alleged to have violated a criminal statute or ordinance. (B) The minor is alleged to have violated a criminal statute for which he or she may be presumed or may be found to be not a fit and proper subject to be dealt with under the juvenile court law. (6) Subsequent to a finding that a minor is an unfit subject to be dealt with under the juvenile court law, which finding was based solely on either or both the minor’s previous delinquent history or a lack of success of previous attempts by the juvenile court to rehabilitate the minor, and the minor was not convicted of the offense, a new petition or petitions alleging the violation of any law or ordinance defining crime which would otherwise cause the minor to be a person described in Section 602 committed by the minor prior to or after the finding of unfitness need not be filed in the juvenile court if one of the following applies: (A) The minor was 16 years of age or older at the time he or she is alleged to have violated a criminal statute or ordinance. (B) The minor is alleged to have violated a criminal statute for which he or she may be presumed or may be found to be not a fit and proper subject to be dealt with under the juvenile court law. (7) If, subsequent to a finding that a minor is an unfit subject to be dealt with under the juvenile court law, the minor is not convicted of the violations which were the subject of the proceeding that resulted in a finding of unfitness and the finding of unfitness was not based solely on either or both the minor’s previous delinquent history or a lack of success of previous attempts by the juvenile court to rehabilitate the minor, a new petition or petitions alleging the violation of any law or ordinance defining a crime which would otherwise cause the minor to be a person described in Section 602 committed by the minor prior to or after the finding of unfitness shall be first filed in the juvenile court. This paragraph does not preclude the prosecuting attorney from seeking to find the minor unfit in a subsequent petition. (b) As to a violation referred to in paragraph (5) or (6) of subdivision (a), if a petition based on those violations has already been filed in the juvenile court, it shall be transferred to the court of criminal jurisdiction without any further proceedings. (c) The probation officer shall not be required to investigate or submit a report regarding the fitness of a minor for any charge specified in paragraph (5) or (6) of subdivision (a) which is refiled in the juvenile court. (d) This section shall not be construed to affect the right to appellate review of a finding of unfitness or the duration of the jurisdiction of the juvenile court as specified in Section 607.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

Facing this? Know exactly what happens next.

MOFRD turns this code section into your situation: the deadlines that apply to you, the forms your county uses, and the resolution paths people in your position actually take. Free for 3 days — no card required.

This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.