Effective: October 12, 2016
Latest Legislation: House Bill 158 – 131st General Assembly
(A)(1) In any proceeding under this chapter other than a proceeding alleging that a child is an unruly child or a juvenile traffic offender, any party or the court may move for a determination regarding the child’s competency to participate in the proceeding.
(2) In any proceeding under this chapter other than a proceeding alleging that a child is an unruly child or a juvenile traffic offender, if the child who is the subject of the proceeding is fourteen years of age or older and if the child is not otherwise found to have a mental illness or developmental disability, it is rebuttably presumed that the child does not have a lack of mental capacity. This presumption applies only in making a determination as to whether the child has a lack of mental capacity and shall not be used or applicable for any other purpose.
(B) The court may find a child incompetent to proceed without ordering an evaluation of the child’s competency or holding a hearing to determine the child’s competency if either of the following applies:
(1) The prosecuting attorney, the child’s attorney, and at least one of the child’s parents, guardians, or custodians agree to the determination.
(2) The court relies on a prior court determination that the child was incompetent and could not attain competency even if the child were to participate in competency attainment services.