2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 49. Child Welfare › Article 4. Court Actions › §49-4-727. Juvenile Competency Proceedings

(a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, a juveniles attorney, the prosecuting attorney, or the court may raise the issue of his or her competency to participate in the proceeding any time during proceedings under this article. Once competency is raised, all proceedings unrelated to competency shall be stayed until the issue of competency is resolved. A juvenile presumed incompetent under subsection (c) of this section shall not be adjudicated unless the presumption of incompetency has been rebutted as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section.
(b) In any delinquency proceeding pursuant to this article, a juvenile 14 years or older is presumed to be competent. A juvenile has the burden of proof to rebut this presumption by showing incompetency by a preponderance of the evidence.
(c) In any delinquency proceeding pursuant to this article, if the juvenile is under 14 years of age, there exists a rebuttable presumption that he or she is incompetent to proceed beyond the stage of the proceeding resolving the issue of competency, unless judicially determined to be competent pursuant to the procedures set forth in 49-4-728 through 49-4-734 of this code. The state has the burden of proof to rebut this presumption by showing competency by a preponderance of the evidence.
(d) Regardless of the age of the juvenile, the court may dismiss the petition without ordering a competency evaluation or competency hearing if the prosecuting attorney, the juveniles attorney, and the guardian ad litem, if previously appointed, agree that there is compelling evidence that the juvenile is not competent to participate in the proceedings:
Provided
, That a court may not order services authorized by 49-4-733 of this code without a competency evaluation.
(e) If and when the issue of a juveniles competency is raised under subsection (a) of this section or, a rebuttable presumption of incompetency exists under subsection (c) of this section, the court shall appoint a guardian ad litem for the juvenile. The Supreme Court of Appeals is requested to establish a training program for persons acting as guardians ad litem in juvenile competency matters.
49-4-728. Definitions for juvenile competency proceedings.
As used in 49-4-727 through 49-4-734 of this code:
"Competent" and "competency" refer to whether or not a juvenile has sufficient present ability to consult with his or her lawyer with a reasonable degree of rational understanding and has a rational as well as factual understanding of the proceedings against him or her. A juvenile is incompetent if, due to developmental disability, intellectual disability, or mental illness, the juvenile is presently incapable of understanding the nature and objective of proceedings against him or her or of assisting in his or her defense.
"Competency attainment services" means services provided to a juvenile to assist the juvenile in attaining competency.
"Department" means the Department of Health and Human Resources.
"Developmental disability" means a severe and chronic disability that is attributable to a mental or physical impairment, including, but not limited to, neurological conditions that lead to impairment of general intellectual functioning or adaptive behavior.
"Developmental immaturity" means a condition based on a juveniles chronological age and significant lack of developmental skills when the juvenile has no significant mental illness or intellectual disability.
"Intellectual disability" means a disability characterized by significant limitations both in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior as expressed in conceptual, social, and practical domains.
"Mental illness" means a manifestation in a person of significantly impaired capacity to maintain acceptable levels of functioning in the areas of intellect, emotion, and physical well-being.
"Proceeding" means any delinquency proceeding under this article.
"Qualified forensic evaluator" means a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist with the necessary education, training, and experience to perform juvenile competency evaluations, and who has been approved to render opinions for the court pursuant to the requirements of 49-4-729 of this code.