in Re: Jamar M., a Minor ( 2013 )


Menu:
  • court.       The court also appears to have determined that NRS
    62B.330(3)(e)(1) divested it of jurisdiction over the offenses that allegedly
    occurred when J.M. was 16 years of age.
    J.M. first challenges the juvenile court's determination that
    NRS 62B.330(3)(e)(1) applied and divested it of jurisdiction. J.M. contends
    that the statute does not apply because the State cannot establish that he
    was 16 years old during the relevant time period. 2 We disagree.
    NRS 62B.330(3)(e)(1) divests the juvenile court of jurisdiction
    over a person who is charged with committing an offense that would have
    been a category A or B felony if committed by an adult when he or she was
    between the ages of 16 and 18 and who is identified and charged between
    the ages of 20 years, 3 months and 21 years. In re George J., 
    128 Nev.
    ,
    f           
    279 P.3d 187
    , 188, 191 (2012). The statute contains no
    requirement that the State prove the offender's age at the time of the
    offense.     Compare NRS 62B.330(3)(e)(1) (divesting the juvenile court of
    jurisdiction over certain persons charged with certain offenses), with NRS
    62B.335(2) (requiring the juvenile court to determine whether probable
    cause supports charges before considering whether to transfer a person for
    criminal proceedings). Therefore, J.M.'s contention that NRS
    62B.330(3)(e)(1) does not apply because the State cannot establish his age
    at the time of the offense lacks merit.
    J.M. also asserts that NRS 62B.335 does not apply to him. The
    2
    juvenile court specifically concluded that NRS 62B.335 did not apply.
    2
    J.M. next contends that because neither NRS 62B.330(3)(e)(1)
    nor NRS 62B.335(1) address which court has jurisdiction over a person
    who committed offenses when he or she was under the age of 16, and he
    was under the age of 16 for part of the time period charged, the juvenile
    court retained jurisdiction over the offenses. This contention lacks merit.
    "'[T]he juvenile court system is a creation of statute, and it possesses only
    the jurisdiction expressly provided for it in the statute." State v. Barren,
    
    128 Nev.
    279 P.3d 182
    , 184 (2012) (quoting Kell v. State, 
    96 Nev. 791
    , 792-93, 
    618 P.2d 350
    , 351 (1980)). J.M. does not assert that any
    statute grants the juvenile court jurisdiction over him. And he does not
    dispute the juvenile court's conclusion that it lacked jurisdiction because
    J.M. is over the age of 21. See NRS 62B.330(1) ("[T]he juvenile court has
    exclusive original jurisdiction over a child living or found within the
    county who is alleged or adjudicated to have committed a delinquent
    act."); NRS 62A.030(1) (defining the term "child" to exclude persons over
    the age of 21 unless circumstances not relevant here apply); see also NRS
    62B.410(2) (juvenile court jurisdiction ends when a child turns 21 years
    old). Because the district court has jurisdiction over a defendant where
    the juvenile court does not, Barren, 
    128 Nev.
    at , 279 P.3d at 184,
    (barring exceptions that are inapplicable here, "some court always has
    jurisdiction over a criminal defendant"), J.M. fails to demonstrate that the
    juvenile court erred by transferring his case for criminal proceedings.
    Finally, J.M. contends that because the writ of attachment
    "arguably" expired on his 21st birthday but he was not arrested until after
    he turned 21 years old, the case must be dismissed. We decline to address
    SUPREME COURT
    OF
    NEVADA
    3
    (0) I947A
    this contention because it is not supported by any argument or citation to
    authority. See Maresca v. State, 
    103 Nev. 669
    , 673, 
    748 P.2d 3
    , 6 (1987).
    Having determined that J.M. is not entitled to relief, we
    ORDER the judgment of the juvenile court AFFIRMED. 3
    Hardesty
    cc: Hon. William 0. Voy, District Judge, Family Court Division
    Clark County Public Defender
    Attorney General/Carson City
    Clark County District Attorney/Juvenile Division
    Eighth District Court Clerk
    3 Despitethe State's certification that its brief complies with the
    requirements of NRAP 32, the brief does not comply. The brief is not
    double-spaced and does not have 1-inch margins on all four sides, and the
    footnotes are not the same size font as the body of the brief. See NRAP
    32(a)(4)-(5). We caution the State that future failure to comply with all
    applicable rules may result in the imposition of sanctions. See NRAP
    28.2(b).
    4
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 62256

Filed Date: 10/16/2013

Precedential Status: Non-Precedential

Modified Date: 10/30/2014