Juvenile Delinquency Law Exam Guide
Juvenile Delinquency Law Exam Structure
- The juvenile delinquency exam is scheduled at the North Carolina State Bar building (ExamSoft Remote Proctoring available upon request).
- Four 90-minute modules.
- Exam sessions will begin around 8 AM and finish prior to 5 PM.
Morning Module 1– General Criminal Law
- Includes 15 multiple choice questions and 3 short answer questions.
- Focus on constitutional law.
- Open book. You may use your own approved NC Criminal Law and Procedure Statute Books, both Chapter 15A and Chapter 20—including those published by Lexis Nexis, Thomson Reuters, Blue360 Media, and Westlaw. Tabs allowed, but no handwritten notes.
Morning Module 2 – Juvenile Delinquency Law
- Includes 50 multiple choice questions.
- Open book (for all juvenile delinquency modules) You may use your own printed copies of approved NC Juvenile Code and Related Statutes books, both Chapter 7B and statutes related to juvenile court, including Lexis Nexis, Thomson Reuters, and Westlaw. Tabs and highlighting allowed, but no handwritten notes. (The Juvenile Defender Manual is an excellent study resource but may NOT be used during the exam modules.)
60-minute lunch break
Afternoon Module 1 – Juvenile Delinquency Law
- Includes 1 long essay question.
- Includes 10 short answer questions.
- Open book – bring your own printed copies of approved NC Juvenile Code and Related Statutes books, both Chapter 7B and statutes related to juvenile court, including Lexis Nexis, Thomson Reuters, and Westlaw. Tabs and highlighting allowed, but no handwritten notes. (The Juvenile Defender Manual is an excellent study resource but may NOT be used during the exam modules.)
Afternoon Module 2 – Juvenile Delinquency Law
- Includes 1 long essay question.
- Includes 10 short answer questions.
- Open book – bring your own printed copies of approved NC Juvenile Code and Related Statutes books, both Chapter 7B and statutes related to juvenile court, including Lexis Nexis, Thomson Reuters, and Westlaw. Tabs and highlighting allowed, but no handwritten notes. (The Juvenile Defender Manual is an excellent study resource but may NOT be used during the exam modules.)
Subject Matter
The examination covers the applicant’s knowledge in the following topics:
(A) North Carolina Rules of Evidence;
(B) State criminal substantive law;
(C) Constitutional law as it relates to criminal procedure and juvenile delinquency law;
(D) State criminal procedure;
(E) North Carolina Juvenile Code, Subchapters II and III, and related case law; and
(F) North Carolina case law as it relates to juvenile delinquency law.
The following are suggested resources for study:
- The Juvenile Defender Manual published by the University of North Carolina School of Government
- The NC Juvenile Defender website includes many helpful resources.
The juvenile delinquency criminal law examination covers the following topics. The current exam may include a very similar distribution of questions.
Juvenile Delinquency Law Exam Topics
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Adjudicatory hearing procedures |
Motions for review |
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Appeal procedures |
Necessary findings for juvenile orders |
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Burdens of proof |
Probable Cause hearing procedures |
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Collateral consequences |
Restitution orders |
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Consequences for felony adjudication |
Search and seizures issues for juveniles |
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Credit for time served |
Secure Custody grounds, procedures, and timelines |
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Delinquency history points and chart |
Secure Custody hearing procedures |
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Disposition alternatives |
Standards of review |
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Disposition condition options |
Sufficiency of petitions |
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Disposition hearing procedures |
Timelines |
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Divertible offenses |
Transfer hearing factors and procedures |
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Intake procedures |
Violation of probation hearing procedures |
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Juvenile constitutional rights |
YDC Commitment procedures |
Sample Questions/Answers
(Please note that sample questions were taken from practice exam and are included only as a reference for types of questions and suggested answers. They are not intended for use as legal authority.)
1) Appeals can be made from:
1) Any order of adjudication
2) Any order finding absence of jurisdiction
3) Any order of disposition after adjudication
4) Any order modifying custodial rights
5) Any order contrary to the best interests of the juvenile
A. 1, 2, and 3
B. 1, 3, and 4
C. 2, 3, and 4
D. 1, 3, 4, and 5
E. 3, 4, and 5
Answer #1: C
2) Assuming that a jurisdiction has a restitution program that paid $3.00 per hour for community service work and a juvenile has been ordered to do community service in order to pay restitution, what is the maximum amount that the juvenile can be ordered to pay through community service for a level 1 disposition?
A. $355
B. $300
C. $710
D. $500
E. $120
Answer #2: B
3) At a secure custody hearing, Bonnie is charged with an offense that could require fourteen 24-hour periods in detention. Bonnie has been in detention pursuant to a secure custody order for eighteen days.
Is the Court required to release her as she has already served more days in detention than the maximum that the law would allow for such an offense? Why or Why not?
Answer #3: No.
A juvenile is not entitled to credit for time served pursuant to case law.