§ 29-1816. Arraignment of accused; when considered waived; accused younger than eighteen years of age; move court to waive jurisdiction to juvenile court; findings for decision; transfer to juvenile court; effect; appeal; admission, confession, or statement made by the accused; inadmissible; when.

(1)(a) The accused may be arraigned in county court or district court: (i) If the accused was eighteen years of age or older when the alleged offense was committed; (ii) If the accused was younger than eighteen years of age and was fourteen years of age or older when an alleged offense punishable as a Class I, IA, IB, IC, ID, II, or IIA felony was committed; or (iii) If the alleged offense is a traffic offense as defined in section 43-245. (b) Arraignment in county court or district court shall be by reading to the accused the complaint or information, unless the reading is waived by the accused when the nature of the charge is made known to him or her. The accused shall then be asked whether he or she is guilty or not guilty of the offense charged. If the accused appears in person and by counsel and goes to trial before a jury regularly impaneled and sworn, he or she shall be deemed to have waived arraignment and a plea of not guilty shall be deemed to have been made. (2) At the time of the arraignment, the county court or district court shall advise the accused, if the accused was younger than eighteen years of age at the time the alleged offense was committed, that the accused may move the county court or district court at any time not later than thirty days after arraignment, unless otherwise permitted by the court for good cause shown, to waive jurisdiction in such case to the juvenile court for further proceedings under the Nebraska Juvenile Code. This subsection does not apply if the case was transferred to county court or district court from juvenile court. (3) For motions to transfer a case from the county court or district court to juvenile court: (a) The county court or district court shall schedule a hearing on such motion within fifteen days. The customary rules of evidence shall not be followed at such hearing. The accused shall be represented by an attorney. The criteria set forth in section 43-276 shall be considered at such hearing. After considering all the evidence and reasons presented by both parties, the case shall be transferred to juvenile court unless a sound basis exists for retaining the case in county court or district court; and (b) The county court or district court shall make a decision on such motion within thirty days after the hearing and shall set forth findings for the reason for its decision. If the county court or district court determines that the accused should be transferred to the juvenile court, the complete file in the county court or district court shall be transferred to the juvenile court and the complaint, indictment, or information may be used in place of a petition therein. The county court or district court making a transfer shall order the accused to be taken forthwith to the juvenile court and designate where the juvenile shall be kept pending determination by the juvenile court. The juvenile court shall then proceed as provided in the Nebraska Juvenile Code. (4) An order granting or denying transfer of the case from county or district court to juvenile court shall be considered a final order for the purposes of appeal. Upon entry of an order, any party may appeal to the Court of Appeals within ten days. Such review shall be advanced on the court docket without an extension of time granted to any party except upon a showing of exceptional cause. Appeals shall be submitted, assigned, and scheduled for oral argument as soon as the appellee's brief is due to be filed. The Court of Appeals shall conduct its review in an expedited manner and shall render the judgment and opinion, if any, as speedily as possible. During the pendency of an appeal from an order transferring the case to juvenile court, the juvenile court may enter temporary orders in the best interests of the juvenile. (5)(a) Except as provided in subdivision (5)(b) of this section, any admission, confession, or statement made by the accused to a psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist, or licensed mental health practitioner for purposes of a motion to transfer a case from county court or district court to juvenile court shall be inadmissible in any criminal or civil proceeding. (b) Subdivision (5)(a) of this section does not prevent any such admission, confession, or statement from being: (i) Admissible in proceedings relating to such motion to transfer; (ii) Admissible in disposition proceedings of such accused under the Nebraska Juvenile Code if the case is transferred to juvenile court; (iii) Included in any presentence investigation report for such accused if the case is not transferred to juvenile court; and (iv) Admissible in such case to impeach such accused during cross-examination if the accused testifies at trial or during juvenile court proceedings and such testimony is materially inconsistent with a prior statement made by the accused to a psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist, or licensed mental health practitioner for purposes of the motion to transfer such case. (6) When the accused was younger than eighteen years of age when an alleged offense was committed, the county attorney or city attorney shall proceed under section 43-274. History: G.S.1873, c. 58, § 448, p. 822; R.S.1913, § 9092; C.S.1922, § 10117; Laws 1925, c. 105, § 1, p. 294; C.S.1929, § 29-1815; R.S.1943, § 29-1816; Laws 1947, c. 103, § 1(1), p. 291; Laws 1974, LB 620, § 6; Laws 1975, LB 288, § 2; Laws 1987, LB 34, § 1; Laws 2008, LB1014, § 16; Laws 2010, LB800, § 5; Laws 2014, LB464, § 4; Laws 2015, LB265, § 1; Laws 2015, LB605, § 59; Laws 2017, LB11, § 1; Laws 2021, LB307, § 1; Laws 2024, LB184, § 1; Laws 2024, LB1051, § 1.