Children’s Law Center University of South Carolina School of Law Training & Resource Manual for Juvenile Defense Attorneys A Guide for Representing Children in South Carolina’s Family Courts 2019 Edition THE CHILDREN’S LAW CENTER The Children’s Law Center, University of South Carolina School of Law was founded in 1995 and serves as a resource center for judges, attorneys, and other professionals involved in juvenile justice or child maltreatment cases in South Carolina. The overall purpose of the Children’s Law Center is to improve the administration of justice in these cases, by enhancing the knowledge and skills of practitioners of all disciplines. The Children’s Law Center provides a full array of training, technical assistance, resource materials, and research activities addressing a broad spectrum of law and court-related topics affecting children involved in court proceedings in South Carolina. 803.777.1646 http://childlaw.sc.edu TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1 Case Flow Chart ............................................................................................................... 2 Basics of Juvenile Court.................................................................................................... 3 ▪ Definition of “Child” .......................................................................................... 3 ▪ Family Court Process for Children Charged with Offenses ............................. 3 ▪ DJJ Intake ....................................................................................................... 9 ▪ Notice & Service of Summons ......................................................................... 10 ▪ Prosecution ..................................................................................................... 11 ▪ Indigent Defense ............................................................................................. 12 ▪ Rules for Conduct of Hearings ......................................................................... 13 ▪ Checklist of Important Issues to Consider ........................................................ 13 Role & Duties of Juvenile Defense Counsel ...................................................................... 15 ▪ Role and Duties Overview ............................................................................... 15 ▪ SCCID Performance Standards for Indigent Defense in Juvenile Cases ......... 16 ▪ Basic Steps of Representation Prior to the Adjudicatory Hearing ..................... 21 ▪ Attorney-Client Communications ..................................................................... 22 ▪ Preparing Your Client for the Courtroom .......................................................... 24 Discovery .......................................................................................................................... 26 ▪ Discovery and Disclosure of Evidence ............................................................. 26 ▪ Disclosure in Criminal Cases (Rule 5, SCRCrimP) .......................................... 27 Jurisdiction & Venue ......................................................................................................... 29 Custody & Pre-trial Detention ............................................................................................ 31 ▪ Detention Overview ......................................................................................... 31 ▪ Detention Hearing ............................................................................................ 33 Waiver / Transfer of Jurisdiction ........................................................................................ 35 ▪ Waiver Overview ............................................................................................. 35 ▪ Waiver Chart ................................................................................................... 38 Adjudication ...................................................................................................................... 39 ▪ Adjudicatory Hearing ....................................................................................... 39 ▪ Guilty Plea ....................................................................................................... 40 Disposition ........................................................................................................................ 44 ▪ Disposition Planning and Advocacy ................................................................. 44 ▪ Effective Use of Predisposition Evaluation Reports ......................................... 48 ▪ Dispositional Hearing ....................................................................................... 54 i Manual for Juvenile Defense Attorneys 2019 Edition Appeals ............................................................................................................................. 56 ▪ Juvenile Appeals Overview .............................................................................. 56 ▪ Appellate Practice from the Court’s Perspective .............................................. 57 ▪ Juvenile Appeal Checklist ................................................................................ 59 ▪ Notice of Appeal (Rule 203, SCACR) .............................................................. 60 Parole ............................................................................................................................... 62 ▪ Parole Overview .............................................................................................. 62 ▪ Parole Guidelines ............................................................................................ 63 ▪ Parole Guidelines Grid .................................................................................... 64 ▪ Parole Guidelines Computation Sheet ............................................................ 65 DJJ Policies & Procedures ................................................................................................ 66 ▪ Agency Overview ............................................................................................. 66 ▪ Detention and Evaluation Centers ................................................................... 68 ▪ Long-term Campuses ...................................................................................... 69 ▪ Transfer to Department of Corrections ............................................................. 69 Juvenile Records .............................................................................................................. 70 ▪ Records Overview ........................................................................................... 70 ▪ Expungement of Juvenile Records .................................................................. 72 Competency...................................................................................................................... 74 ▪ Adjudicative Competence ................................................................................ 74 ▪ Competency Case Law .................................................................................... 78 Juvenile Confessions ........................................................................................................ 79 Interstate Compact for Juveniles ....................................................................................... 82 Media Issues ..................................................................................................................... 83 Juvenile Justice Case Law ................................................................................................ 84 ▪ US Supreme Court Cases .............................................................................. 84 ▪ SC Supreme Court Cases .............................................................................. 85 S.C. Code of Laws / Relevant State Statutes ................................................................... 86 Agencies and Organizations Serving Children .................................................................. 88 Juvenile Justice Websites ................................................................................................. 90 Recommended Resources for Juvenile Defenders ........................................................... 92 ii Manual for Juvenile Defense Attorneys 2019 Edition INTRODUCTION The purpose of the Training and Resource Manual for Juvenile Defenders is to provide juvenile defense attorneys with a comprehensive overview of the juvenile justice system and the legal and collateral issues that arise in juvenile delinquency proceedings in South Carolina’s family courts. The information presented in the Manual is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal advice or legal opinion on any specific issue. Readers should not rely on this guide as a primary source of legal authority, but should consult official versions of South Carolina statutes, rules, and cases prior to making decisions or taking action in legal proceedings. Citations to South Carolina statutes and cases used throughout this guide are formatted as concisely as possible, and therefore, are not necessarily appropriate for formal citations in pleadings and papers filed with the family court. South Carolina statutes are cited as § __-__- __ (e.g., § 63-3-651 instead of S.C. Code Ann.