Which of the following did McKeiver v. Pennsylvania establish regarding juvenile court trials?

• A. Trial by jury is constitutionally required
• B. Juries must be peers
• C. In family court there are no jury trials
• D. Trial by jury is not constitutionally required

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is that the Constitution does not require a jury trial in juvenile court.

McKeiver v. Pennsylvania held that juvenile delinquency proceedings are not guaranteed a jury by the Constitution. The Court reasoned that juvenile court aims to be less formal and more focused on rehabilitation and privacy, and that a jury trial isn’t necessary to protect a juvenile’s due process rights. States may still provide a jury trial if they choose, but it isn’t a constitutional obligation. This differs from adult criminal cases, where a jury trial is constitutionally required.