The Appellate Group

In re J.M.

In re J.M., 2026 UT 21 (Nielsen, J.)

Juvenile

The Utah Supreme Court held:

Juvenile justice statutes involving nonjudicial adjustments do not strip prosecutors of their broad discretion to file delinquency petitions. If a juvenile probation officer improperly offers a nonjudicial adjustment for a disqualifying offense, the prosecutor retains the authority to step in and file formal charges, even if the minor has already accepted and substantially complied with the nonjudicial adjustment.

Read the full court opinion