Fundamental elements of due process are provided to a juvenile just as they are to an adult. For example, a child charged in a juvenile proceeding is entitled to:
- notice of charges against him or her before the hearing
- an attorney, including one paid for by the state if the family cannot afford one
- the right to confront and cross-examine witnesses
- the right to assert his or her Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination
Finally, the state is required to prove its charges beyond a reasonable doubt, just as in the trial of any adult on a criminal charge.
