Appeals from Juvenile Courts

Abstract

This article points out the desirability of appellate review of juvenile court dispositions, noting that uniformity of practice in any jurisdiction can hardly be achieved in the absence of ap pellate decisions because of the incompleteness of the typical ju venile court act. The author discusses the need for stenographic transcripts of juvenile court hearings and suggests that constitu tional considerations may be involved in decisions on furnishing transcripts. There is a discussion of various methods of provid ing appellate review, including the direct appeal, the two-step approach employing either a referee or a rehearing in the juve nile court, and the extraordinary writs. The scope of appellate review is mentioned, and problems of standing to appeal are considered. In each of these areas the author refers to current law and practice in various states, and attempts evaluation and analysis. The problems brought to light here could in most in stances be solved by legislative revision.