In Re the Welfare of J.J.T.

OPINION

SCHUMACHER, Judge.

Appellant juvenile J.J.T. was adjudicated delinquent for a federal offense involving theft of mail. He claims the district court should have voided its adjudication of his delinquency because the court lacked jurisdiction to decide the federal offense and because the case was not properly referred to the district court. Because state courts lack jurisdiction to decide juvenile cases where the underlying charge is solely a violation of federal law, we reverse.

FACTS

On the morning of December 21, 1995, J.J.T., then 14 years old, and his 16-year-old brother, J.T., left…