The juvenile court may appoint which of the following to conduct the detention hearing?

• A. Referee
• B. Judge
• C. Magistrate
• D. Hearing Officer

Answer: (A)

Detention hearings in juvenile court are urgent and often handled by someone other than the judge to keep the process speedy and focused. A Referee is appointed to preside over the hearing, hear testimony, review evidence, and prepare findings or a recommended disposition for the judge. This setup allows the court to manage caseload efficiently while ensuring the juvenile’s rights are protected, since the judge retains the final authority but relies on the referee’s timely, specialized handling of the proceedings. While judges can conduct hearings themselves and other roles like magistrates or hearing officers may preside in different contexts, the standard arrangement for detention hearings described here is that a Referee conducts the hearing under the judge’s supervision.