K CG v. State of Indiana

── K CG v. State of Indiana ── Case No.: 20S-JV-00263 Court: Indiana Supreme Court Date: November 16, 2020 Author: Justice Geoffrey Slaughter Category: Juvenile Decision: Vacated and Remanded Under Indiana law, only juvenile courts have power to adjudicate a child a delinquent. The delinquency alleged here is that respondent, K.C.G., age 16, committed the offense of dangerous possession of a firearm. We hold that the juvenile court lacked subject-matter jurisdiction. Juvenile courts have “exclusive original jurisdiction” to hear proceedings in which the State alleges that a child committed “an act that would be an offense”—a crime—"if committed by an adult.” Yet under the governing statute, an adult can never commit this offense.