Juvenile Court General Info / FAQs

Please review the following list of Frequently Asked Questions for answers to questions you might have:

• I have received a letter from the court; what do I do?
• My child has been arrested; what do I do?
• The court has issued a warrant for my child's arrest; what do I do?
• My child is out of control; what do I do?
• How do I get to the Youth Services Center (Juvenile Court)?
• What should I wear to court?
• What should I bring to court?
• What should I NOT bring to court?
• When should I appear at court?
• The court or my attorney told me that I will lose my Driver's License.  How can I get it back?
• Can I ask the court to seal my court file?
• How do I pay my financial obligations?

I have received a letter from the court; what do I do?

• Read the letter CAREFULLY... It will give you either a number to call or a date and time to appear in court for your first hearing. Follow the instructions.

My child has been arrested; what do I do?

• If you child has been arrested and brought to detention, a screening probation officer will call you and will give you the necessary information. You may ask questions at that time.
• If your child has been arrested and released to you or another adult, wait to hear from the court. The prosecutor screens these cases and decides whether or not to file charges. Sometimes they do not file based on the officer's report. However, you need to wait to hear from the court. The Prosecuting Attorney's Office does not take calls from youth or their parents.

The court has issued a warrant for my child's arrest; what do I do?

• Contact your child's attorney or juvenile probation counselor to talk about what your child's options are. The court does offer juveniles the opportunity to "quash" (remove) the warrant. You may discuss this option with the attorney or probation counselor. You also may call 206-205-9590 for more information about the warrant quashing process.

My child is out of control; what do I do?

• You may call 206-205-9732 to talk with someone about whether your child's behavior meets the requirements for filing an At-risk Youth Petition to request the assistance of the court.

How do I get to the Youth Services Center (Juvenile Court)?

• Visit the Youth Services Center (Juvenile Court) webpage to get driving directions and information on parking, bus connections, accommodations, and other Juvenile Court services and facilities.

What should I wear to court?

• When coming to court you do not need to dress up, but you should not wear shorts, warm-up suits, tank tops, halter tops, or clothes that show your stomach area or your underwear.

What should I bring to court?

• Your court order or summons. This is helpful, although not necessary.

You also may want to bring:

• Pen/pencil and paper so that you can take notes
• A folder to keep your court paperwork in
• A book to read while you wait
• Schoolwork/homework to work on while you wait
• Change for the vending machines

What should I NOT bring to court?

• If possible, other than those children who need to attend court or have an appointment in the building, it is best not to bring other children when coming to Juvenile Court. Especially when coming for a court hearing, you can expect to spend time waiting and there is little for children to do while you wait. If you do bring other children with you to Juvenile Court, also bring something for them to do.
• The King County Sheriff's Office provides security screening at the front door of the Youth Services Center. Do not bring weapons of any kind to the building. Also, state laws with regard to smoking and the possession of tobacco are strictly enforced.

When should I to appear at court?

To find out when your child's hearing is scheduled, you should contact:

• Your child's juvenile probation counselor (JPC), if your child already has a JPC; or
• Your child's attorney, if your child already has an attorney assigned to the case; or
• The Superior Court Clerk's Office at (206) 296-1139.

The court or my attorney told me that I will lose my Driver's License.  How can I get it back?

• If you have lost your Driver's License as the result of a court ruling, please visit the appropriate Department of Licensing webpage (from the list below) to learn what to expect.  These sites also include information on how to get your license back once the period of suspension is complete.
  • Department of Licensing - Minor in Possession (external site)
  • Department of Licensing - DUI (Driving under the Influence) (external site)
  • Department of Licensing - Driver's License Penalties Following Conviction (external site)
  • Superior Court - Learn how to petition the court to get your license back.

Can I ask the court to seal my court file?

• Yes.  A person who has been the subject of criminal charges in Juvenile Court may file a motion asking the court to seal his or her court file, if the person meets certain requirements.  Learn more by visiting the Sealing Juvenile Court Records webpage.

How do I pay my financial obligations?

• The court may order restitution payments or other fines when concluding your case.  Restitution means paying victims back for their losses due to crime.  If you are ordered to pay restitution or other fines, you will receive a payment packet from your Probation Counselor describing how much to pay, and when and where to send payments.  The full amount must be paid, even after you turn 18.
• For more information, read the Juvenile Court Payment Instructions.  (Also read an overview of what these fees include and how they are administered by the court.)