The clerk's office also processes petitions filed on children in need of care who are under the age of 18 years. The cases that are filed in this section are on children who are physically, mentally, or sexually abused, children that cannot be controlled due to mental or physical handicaps or children that are abandoned by their parents. There are approximately 1,700 juvenile offender and 300 child in need of care cases filed each year. The district attorney, SRS, or private individuals, files the new complaints or petitions. The clerical office processes the complaints or petitions, and sends notices to all parties for the court hearings.
Most cases involve a minimum of two hearings.
The clerical office receives the file after each court hearing and is responsible for updating all information in the computer pertaining to the court hearing and making sure the correct paperwork is completed and entered into the court file. In addition to preparing all pleadings for the court hearing the clerks also type child in need of care journal entries and mail copies to all interested parties involved. There are three judges assigned to the Juvenile Department that hear both offender and CINC cases. The clerks office has daily contact with the juveniles, their parents, judges, attorneys, court services officers, victims, social workers, law enforcement officers and people who work with juveniles in different offices across the city and state.