M.C. v. State

M.C. appeals from an adjudication of delinquency for the offense of trespass upon public school grounds. For the reasons that follow, we reverse.

M.C., a seventh-grader at Parkway Middle School, was suspended for ten days following an altercation with another student. In accordance with school procedures, he was invited to return to the school the next day with his legal guardian to discuss alternatives to suspension. School officials led M.C. to believe that they would contact his guardian.

The school’s efforts to contact M.C.’s guardian were not successful, but M.C. was not aware of this.…