Rule 6.937 – Commitment Review Hearing

May 13, 2021 | Criminal Procedure, Michigan

(A) Required Hearing Before Age 19 for Court-Committed Juveniles. The court shall schedule and hold, unless adjourned for good cause, a commitment review hearing as nearly as possible to, but before, the juvenile’s 19th birthday.

(1) Notice. The Family Independence Agency or agency, facility, or institution to which the juvenile is committed, shall advise the court at least 91 days before the juvenile attains age 19 of the need to schedule a commitment review hearing. Notice of the hearing must be given to the prosecuting attorney, the agency or the superintendent of the facility to which the juvenile has been committed, the juvenile, and the parent of the juvenile if the parent’s address or whereabouts are known, at least 14 days before the hearing. Notice must clearly indicate that the court may extend jurisdiction over the juvenile until the age of 21. The notice shall include advice to the juvenile and the parent of the juvenile that the juvenile has the right to an attorney.

(2) Appointment of an Attorney. The court must appoint an attorney to represent the juvenile at the hearing unless an attorney has been retained or is waived pursuant to MCR 6.905(C).

(3) Reports. The state institution or agency charged with the care of the juvenile must prepare a commitment report as required by MCL 769.1b(4) and 803.225(1). The commitment report must contain all of the following, as required by MCL 803.225(1)(a)-(d):

(a) the services and programs currently being utilized by, or offered to, the juvenile and the juvenile’s participation in those services and programs;

(b) where the juvenile currently resides and the juvenile’s behavior in the current placement;

(c) the juvenile’s efforts toward rehabilitation; and

(d) recommendations for the juvenile’s release or continued custody.

The report created pursuant to MCL 803.223 for the purpose of annual reviews may be combined with a commitment review report.

(4) Findings; Criteria. Before the court continues the jurisdiction over the juvenile until the age of 21, the prosecutor must demonstrate by a preponderance of the evidence that the juvenile has not been rehabilitated or that the juvenile presents a serious risk to public safety. The rules of evidence do not apply. In making the determination, the court must consider the following factors:

(a) the extent and nature of the juvenile’s participation in education, counseling, or work programs;

(b) the juvenile’s willingness to accept responsibility for prior behavior;

(c) the juvenile’s behavior in the current placement;

(d) the prior record and character of the juvenile and physical and mental maturity;

(e) the juvenile’s potential for violent conduct as demonstrated by prior behavior;

(f) the recommendations of the state institution or agency charged with the juvenile’s care for the juvenile’s release or continued custody; and

(g) other information the prosecuting attorney or the juvenile may submit.

(B) Other Commitment Review Hearings. The court, on motion of the institution, agency, or facility to which the juvenile is committed, may release a juvenile at any time upon a showing by a preponderance of evidence that the juvenile has been rehabilitated and is not a risk to public safety. The notice provision in subrule (A), other than the requirement that the court clearly indicate that it may extend jurisdiction over the juvenile until the age of 21, and the criteria in subrule (A) shall apply. The rules of evidence shall not apply. The court must appoint an attorney to represent the juvenile at the hearing unless an attorney has been retained or the right to counsel waived. The court, upon notice and opportunity to be heard as provided in this rule, may also move the juvenile to a more restrictive placement or treatment program.

Mich. Ct. R. 6.937