The stage that follows adjudication and precedes disposition is called what?

• A. Petition
• B. Adjudication hearing
• C. Detention Hearing
• D. Disposition Hearing

Answer: (D)

In juvenile court, after a judge determines delinquency at the adjudication stage, the next step is the disposition phase. The disposition hearing is where the court decides the appropriate remedy or treatment for the youth—probation, counseling, community service, or placement, for example. It directly follows adjudication and leads to the actual disposition being carried out. Detention hearings are typically handled earlier (pre-adjudication) to decide detention status, and the petition is the initial filing that starts the case.