§ 20-519 — EVIDENTIARY HEARING

If the juvenile denies the allegations in the petition, the court shall conduct a full evidentiary hearing, in the manner prescribed by the Idaho juvenile rules. The juvenile shall have the right to call witnesses on his own behalf. A record shall be made in all proceedings connected with the case and shall be preserved in the event of appeal. If at the conclusion of the evidentiary hearing the court finds the juvenile to come within the purview of the act, the court shall so rule, and then shall set the matter down for sentencing, or may, in the interest of time, hold a sentencing hearing at the conclusion of the evidentiary hearing if all information necessary to the disposition of the case is available at the time.
When a juvenile, other than the juvenile against whom the petition has been filed, is summoned as a witness in any hearing under this act, notwithstanding any other statutory provision, parents, a counselor, a friend or other person having a supportive relationship with the juvenile shall, if available, be permitted to remain in the courtroom at the witness stand with the juvenile during the juvenile’s testimony unless, in written findings made and entered, the court finds that the juvenile’s constitutional right to a fair trial will be unduly prejudiced.

Legislative History

[(20-519) 1984, ch. 81, sec. 9, p. 154; am. 1989, ch. 54, sec. 1, p. 70; am. and redesig. 1995, ch. 44, sec. 20, p. 86.]