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HomeWelfare and Institutions CodeDiv. 2Pt. 1Ch. 2Art. 20§ 785 Juvenile Wardship Termination Petition

§ 785 Juvenile Wardship Termination Petition

Welfare and Institutions Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 785 Juvenile Wardship Termination Petition

Key Takeaways

  • •If a kid is under juvenile court supervision (but not sent to Youth Authority) and later does something bad, some people can ask the court to stop or change the supervision.
  • •The people who can ask include the kid's parents, the kid (with a guardian), or the prosecutor or probation officer.
  • •The court will have a hearing and let the right people know about it before making a decision.
  • •The court decides based on what's best for the kid, following certain rules.

Example

A 16-year-old is under juvenile court supervision for shoplifting. Later, they get into a fight at school. Their parents think the supervision isn't helping and want to ask the court to end it.

The parents can file a request with the court to stop or change the supervision. The court will hold a hearing and decide if ending or changing the supervision is best for the kid.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 785 Juvenile Wardship Termination Petition

(a) Where a minor is a ward of the juvenile court, the wardship did not result in the minor’s commitment to the Youth Authority, and the minor is found not to be a fit and proper subject to be dealt with under the juvenile court law with respect to a subsequent allegation of criminal conduct, any parent or other person having an interest in the minor, or the minor, through a properly appointed guardian, the prosecuting attorney, or probation officer, may petition the court in the same action in which the minor was found to be a ward of the juvenile court for a hearing for an order to terminate or modify the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. The court shall order that a hearing be held and shall give prior notice, or cause prior notice to be given, to those persons and by the means prescribed by Sections 776 and 779, by electronic service pursuant to Section 212.5, or where the means of giving notice is not prescribed by those sections, then by such means as the court prescribes. (b) The petition shall be verified and shall state why jurisdiction should be terminated or modified in concise language. (c) In determining whether or not the wardship shall terminate or be modified, the court shall be guided by the policies set forth in Section 202. (d) In addition to its authority under this chapter, the Judicial Council shall adopt rules providing criteria for the consideration of the juvenile court in determining whether or not to terminate or modify jurisdiction pursuant to this section. (Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 319, Sec. 146. (AB 976) Effective January 1, 2018.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

wardconsiderationprobationcrimehearingauthorityjurisdictionpetition

Related Statutes

  • § 782 Juvenile Petition Dismissal
  • § 607.2 Foster Care Jurisdiction Termination
  • § 654.2 Minor Supervision Program Orders
  • § 451 Transition Jurisdiction For Wards
  • § 707 Minor Felony Transfer Motion

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Welfare and Institutions Code. Section 785.
View Official Source