McKeiver v. Pennsylvania

McKeiver v. Pennsylvania (1971) was a Supreme Court case addressing whether juveniles have a constitutional right to a jury trial. The Court ruled that the 14th Amendment did not guarantee this right for minors in state juvenile courts. The decision acknowledged that while juveniles are entitled to due process, the unique nature of the juvenile justice system, which focuses on rehabilitation rather than punishment, does not require a jury trial. This ruling upheld the idea that states could operate their juvenile systems without the same procedural protections found in adult courts.