Topic Archive: Supreme Court

Federal Court Amicus Briefs

This page provides access to the amicus briefs NJDC has co-authored or signed on to in federal courts. Click a case name to learn more and access the relevant brief. UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT – Seminal Decisions Miller v. Alabama & Jackson v. Hobbs (Filed: Jan. 13, 2012) (Decided: June 25, 2012) Adolescent Development; Mandatory…

Graham v. Florida

In July 2009, NJDC along with dozens of other organizations co-signed a brief arguing that the sentence of juvenile life without parole (JLWOP) was unconstitutional under the Eighth Amendment. The brief, meant to represent the interests of the juvenile justice community and including dozens of amici nationwide, argued that the United States Supreme Court’s longstanding…

In re Gault

  This decision was the turning point for the rights of juveniles in U.S. Courts. It was the first time that the Supreme Court held that children facing delinquency prosecution have many of the same legal rights as adults in criminal court, including the right to an attorney, the right to remain silent, the right…

United States Supreme Court Juvenile Justice Jurisprudence

The question of how to treat children in the justice system has long been an issue of examination and reexamination by the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court has consistently held that children are entitled to many of the same due process rights as adults. With that understood, however, the Court has also consistently held that,…