What is the purpose of a transfer hearing?

• A. To determine guilt
• B. To set bail
• C. To determine which court (adult or juvenile) should exercise jurisdiction over a case
• D. To determine sentencing

Answer: (C)

A transfer hearing decides which court will handle the case—adult court or juvenile court. It’s about jurisdiction: whether the case should stay in the juvenile system or move to the adult system for adjudication. The hearing weighs factors like the offender’s age, the seriousness of the offense, prior behavior, and public safety and rehabilitation considerations. This decision doesn’t determine guilt, set bail, or assign a sentence—that all comes later in the appropriate court after a trial or disposition.