Rule 8:16.Arraignment in Juvenile Delinquency Cases.
Part Eight: Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts · Last amended 2021 · Last verified July 16, 2026
Full Text of Rule 8:16
Plain-English Summary
Arraignment in a delinquency proceeding has two components: reading to the juvenile the charge on which they will be tried, and calling on the juvenile to plead to it. The rule requires that it be conducted in court.
It may nevertheless be waived — by the juvenile in court, or by counsel. The rule places no further conditions on that waiver, in contrast to Rule 8:17, which surrounds the waiver of trial rights with findings and a writing requirement.
Read together with Rule 8:18, which governs the pleas a child may enter and what the court must determine before accepting one, arraignment is the point at which a delinquency case moves from allegation to plea.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does arraignment consist of?
Reading to the juvenile the charge on which the juvenile will be tried, and calling on the juvenile to plead to it.
Must arraignment happen in court?
Yes. The rule requires that it be conducted in court.
Can arraignment be waived?
Yes — by the juvenile in court, or by counsel.
Does this rule apply outside delinquency cases?
It is written for arraignment in a delinquency proceeding.
What happens after arraignment?
The juvenile pleads. Rule 8:18 governs the permissible pleas and what the court must determine before accepting a plea of guilty or nolo contendere.
Amendment History
Last amended by Order dated November 23, 2020; effective March 1, 2021.