Art. 882 Adjudication by the court

This rule simply says that a judge decides the outcome of the adjudication hearing, not a jury. There's no group of citizens brought in to hear the evidence and make a decision. The judge alone listens to the facts and rules on the case.

This matters because it changes how the hearing works. Both sides present their evidence and arguments directly to the judge, who then weighs everything and makes the final call. This is different from criminal trials for adults, where a jury often decides guilt or innocence. In juvenile cases under Louisiana's Children's Code, the process stays focused on the judge's decision alone.