The Juvenile Arrest equivalent of Adult Indictment or Information is which filing?

• A. Detention Hearing
• B. Adjudication hearing
• C. Indictment or Information
• D. Petition

Answer: (D)

In juvenile court, the case is started with a petition for delinquency filed with the court. This petition serves as the charging document, similar in purpose to an indictment or information in adult court, outlining the alleged delinquent acts and the statutory basis for the court’s jurisdiction. After the petition is filed, the proceeding moves toward an adjudication hearing to determine delinquency. A detention hearing is a separate pretrial step about whether to hold the juvenile, and an indictment or information is the adult system’s charging document, not the juvenile filing.