People v. J.E.

This case requires us to examine a statutory procedure that routes a juvenile offender into the adult criminal justice system.

The State contends a finding of probable cause at a minor’s detention hearing, without more, creates a rebuttable presumption that the minor’s case should be transferred from the juvenile court to the criminal court.

In this case, the trial judge at the transfer hearing refused to adopt the probable cause finding made at the detention hearing. He also held the State failed to establish probable cause to transfer on all counts it had charged. The motion to transfer was…