17 is the maximum age for juvenile court in Arizona, but there are certain crimes that allow the prosecutor to charge a juvenile as an adult automatically. Juveniles between the ages of 14-17 may be subject to answer charges in adult courts for certain violent felony offenses or sexual misconduct. Even though the term “juvenile” usually applies to children under the age of 18, this does not automatically exclude a juvenile from adult court. In general, juveniles 14 and under will usually face juvenile proceedings and will not be subject to adult court jurisdiction.
Have additional questions about the juvenile court system? Contact Arizona juvenile criminal defense attorney Jeremy Geigle at (480) 818-9943 to have your questions answered during a free consultation.