Opinion ID: 1670877
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Youth Court Record

Text: ¶ 21. During the plea colloquy, the trial court asked Reeder [h]ave you ever been in trouble in youth court? to which Reeder responded affirmatively. The trial court next asked Reeder [w]ere you adjudicated a delinquent and sent to the training school here or put on probation? Reeder answered that he had been put on probation and that the incident had occurred in Jackson County. ¶ 22. Reeder contends that this exchange rendered his guilty plea involuntary, because the trial court intimidated him with its demand that he recite to the court his youth court record. He further notes that under Miss.Code Ann. § 43-21-261, his youth court records must remain confidential. However, the claim is without merit, as a circuit judge may consider a party's youth court record in sentencing him. Miss.Code Ann. § 43-21-261 provides in part: [t]he judges of the circuit and county courts, and presentence investigators for the circuit courts, as provided in Section 47-7-9, shall have the right to inspect any youth court records of a person convicted of a crime for sentencing purposes only.