State v. J.M.

The primary issue in this appeal is whether a juvenile may present evidence during the probable cause portion of a juvenile waiver hearing. N.J.S.A. 2A:4A-26. The trial court denied the juvenile’s request to testify at the probable cause hearing. The Appellate Division reversed. Although we agree with the panel’s conclusion that the juvenile may present evidence at the probable *406cause hearing, we ground our decision not on the constitutional basis found by the panel, but in our authority to control the procedures of our courts. We hereby modify Rule 5:22-2 to expressly permit a juvenile to…