Opinion ID: 2630600
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Reasonable Legislative Objective Warranting Disparity

Text: ¶ 15 Section 78-3a-102 states that the purpose of the juvenile court is to (a) promote public safety and individual accountability by the imposition of appropriate sanctions on persons who have committed acts in violation of law; (b) order appropriate measures to promote guidance and control, preferably in the minor's own home, as an aid in the prevention of future unlawful conduct and the development of responsible citizenship; (c) where appropriate, order rehabilitation, reeducation, and treatment for persons who have committed acts bringing them within the court's jurisdiction; [and] ... (g) consistent with the ends of justice, strive to act in the best interests of the minor[] in all cases and attempt to preserve and strengthen family ties where possible. Utah Code Ann. § 78-3a-102(5) (1996). ¶ 16 The juvenile court's statutory authority is focused on the education, rehabilitation, and treatment of minors, the purpose being to assist young offenders in rebuilding their lives in the ambit of their families. Consistent with this purpose, all cases before the juvenile court are considered civil proceedings. Utah Code Ann. § 78-3a-515(1) (1996). This furthers a reasonable state interest in preventing youth offenders, who are still in their formative years, from accruing a criminal record and potentially becoming worse or even adult offenders. ¶ 17 As a tribunal geared toward the special needs of youth offenders, the juvenile court therefore is not designed to deal with adults charged with crimes. When adults do become involved with the juvenile court, its statutory jurisdiction over them is appropriately very limited. For example, the juvenile court has concurrent jurisdiction with the district court over adults who contribute to the delinquency of a minor. In this situation, however, there are statutory guidelines for special proceedings in the juvenile court to try such adult offenders criminally as adults, or even to transfer the adult entirely to the district court. Utah Code Ann. §§ 78-3a-801 to -803 (1996). Thus, the reasonable legislative objective of the juvenile court is maintained, to act in the interest and rehabilitation of minor offenders. ¶ 18 Under the analysis set out in Mohi, section 78-3a-104(1)(a) clearly applies equally to all persons within the classes it creates and the disparate treatment given the statutory classes is based on differences that have a reasonable tendency to further the objectives of the statute. It is therefore uniform both on its face and in operation. Accordingly, we hold that section 78-3a-104(1)(a) comports with the uniform operation of laws provision of the Utah Constitution. [3]