Under NY law, into which court does a person under 13 fall?

• A. Family court
• B. Criminal court
• C. Civil court
• D. Supreme Court

Answer: (A)

Minors in New York are handled in a separate system designed to address their rehabilitation and protection. Family Court has exclusive jurisdiction over matters involving persons under 18, including juvenile delinquency, persons in need of supervision, and abuse or neglect cases. Because someone under 13 is a minor, the appropriate venue for addressing their issues is Family Court, which is specialized for youthful cases and not the criminal or civil tracks used for adults or non-juvenile disputes. Criminal Court handles criminal prosecutions for older youths and adults, Civil Court deals with civil disputes (often involving adults), and Supreme Court is the general trial court for major civil matters and some higher-level issues, not the forum for juvenile matters.