2023 California Code › Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC › DIVISION 2 - CHILDREN › PART 1 - DELINQUENTS AND WARDS OF THE JUVENILE COURT › CHAPTER 2 - Juvenile Court Law › ARTICLE 20.5 - Deferred Entry of Judgment › Section 791.

791. (a) The prosecuting attorney’s written notification to the minor shall also include all of the following:
(1) A full description of the procedures for deferred entry of judgment.
(2) A general explanation of the roles and authorities of the probation department, the prosecuting attorney, the program, and the court in that process.
(3) A clear statement that, in lieu of jurisdictional and disposition hearings, the court may grant a deferred entry of judgment with respect to any offense charged in the petition, provided that the minor admits each allegation contained in the petition and waives time for the pronouncement of judgment, and that upon the successful completion of the terms of probation, as defined in Section 794, the positive recommendation of the probation department, and the motion of the prosecuting attorney, but no sooner that 12 months and no later than 36 months from the date of the minor’s referral to the program, the court shall dismiss the charge or charges against the minor.
(4) A clear statement that upon any failure of the minor to comply with the terms of probation, including the rules of any program the minor is directed to attend, or any circumstances specified in Section 793, the prosecuting attorney or the probation department, or the court on its own, may make a motion to the court for entry of judgment and the court shall render a finding that the minor is a ward of the court pursuant to Section 602 for the offenses specified in the original petition and shall schedule a dispositional hearing.
(5) An explanation of record retention and disposition resulting from participation in the deferred entry of judgment program and the minor’s rights relative to answering questions about their arrest and deferred entry of judgment following successful completion of the program.
(b) If the minor consents and waives their right to a speedy jurisdictional hearing, the court may refer the case to the probation department or the court may summarily grant deferred entry of judgment if the minor admits the charges in the petition and waives time for the pronouncement of judgment. When directed by the court, the probation department shall make an investigation and take into consideration the defendant’s age, maturity, educational background, family relationships, demonstrable motivation, treatment history, if any, and other mitigating and aggravating factors in determining whether the minor is a person who would be benefited by education, treatment, or rehabilitation. The probation department shall also determine which programs would accept the minor. The probation department shall report its findings and recommendations to the court. The court shall make the final determination regarding education, treatment, and rehabilitation of the minor.
(c) If a minor is eligible for deferred entry of judgment, but the court did not determine the minor’s suitability for deferred entry of judgment pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 790, when the case is transferred, the receiving court may, prior to determining the disposition of the case, order the probation department to make an investigation and report pursuant to subdivision (b) to determine the minor’s suitability for deferred entry of judgment.
(d) A minor’s admission of the charges contained in the petition pursuant to this chapter shall not constitute a finding that a petition has been sustained for any purpose, unless a judgment is entered pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 793.
(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 603, Sec. 3. (SB 383) Effective January 1, 2022.)