13 Pretrial conference--public offense case

Before a juvenile case goes to trial, the court may set up a meeting called a pretrial conference. This can happen because the judge decides to schedule one, or because one of the parties involved in the case asks for it.

At this meeting, the county attorney and the other parties sit down together to talk about the case. They look over the evidence that has been gathered and discuss the details of what happened. The goal is to see if everyone can agree on a way to settle the case without going through a full trial.

This step gives everyone a chance to talk things through early on. It can save time and help people understand what to expect if the case does move forward.