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TCA 37-1-134

Transfer from juvenile court

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What does this charge mean?

A juvenile court can transfer a child's case to adult criminal court if certain conditions are met (such as the child's age or the seriousness of the alleged crime), so the child is tried and punished as an adult. Once transferred, the child faces adult criminal penalties rather than juvenile dispositions. This allows serious juvenile offenders to be handled through the adult system.

Penalty Details

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Penalty SummaryClassification not specified
[Effective Until 7/1/2024] (a) After a petition has been filed alleging delinquency based on conduct that is designated a crime or public offense under the laws, including local ordinances, of this state, the court, before hearing the petition on the merits, may transfer the child to the sheriff of the county to be held according to law and to be dealt with as an adult in the criminal court of competent jurisdiction. The disposition of the child shall be as if the child were an adult if: (A) A person under eighteen (18) years of age. See Tennessee Code 37-1-102Commissioner: means commissioner of children's services. See Tennessee Code 37-1-102Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.Custodian: means a person, other than a parent or legal guardian, who stands in loco parentis to the child or a person to whom temporary legal custody of the child has been given by order of a court. See Tennessee Code 37-1-102Custody: means the control of actual physical care of the child and includes the right and responsibility to provide for the physical, mental, moral and emotional well-being of the child. See Tennessee Code 37-1-102Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.Delinquent act: means an act designated a crime under the law, including local ordinances of this state, or of another state if the act occurred in that state, or under federal law, and the crime is not a status offense under subdivision (b)(32)(C) and the crime is not a traffic offense as defined in the traffic code of the state other than failing to stop when involved in an accident pursuant to §. See Tennessee Code 37-1-102Department: means the department of children's services. See Tennessee Code 37-1-102Detention: means temporary confinement in a secure or closed type of facility that is under the direction or supervision of the court or a facility that is designated by the court or other authority as a place of confinement for juveniles. See Tennessee Code 37-1-102Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. Source: Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.Juvenile court: means the general sessions court in all counties of this state, except in those counties and municipalities in which special juvenile courts are provided by law, and "judge" means judge of the juvenile court. See Tennessee Code 37-1-102Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.Property: includes both personal and real property. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in a perceivable form. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105Transcript: A written, word-for-word record of what was said, either in a proceeding such as a trial or during some other conversation, as in a transcript of a hearing or oral deposition.Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.(1) (A) The child was: (i) Less than fourteen (14) years of age at the time of the alleged conduct and charged with first degree murder or second degree murder or attempted first or second degree murder; (ii) Fourteen (14) years of age or more but less than seventeen (17) years of age at the time of the alleged conduct and charged with the offense of first degree murder, second degree murder, rape, aggravated rape, rape of a child, aggravated rape of a child, aggravated robbery, especially aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, especially aggravated burglary, kidnapping, aggravated kidnapping, especially aggravated kidnapping, commission of an act of terrorism, carjacking, or an attempt to commit any such offenses; (iii) (a) Sixteen (16) years of age or more at the time of the alleged conduct; and (b) (1) Charged with the offense of robbery or attempt to commit robbery; or (2) Confined in a youth development center approved, certified, or licensed by the department of children’s services, and charged with escape therefrom; or (iv) Seventeen (17) years of age or more at the time of the alleged conduct; (B) The district attorney general shall not seek, nor shall any child transferred under this section receive, a sentence of death for the offense for which the child was tr
View on official sourceLast verified: Feb 25, 2026

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TCA Section37-1-134