Jurisdiction of children and minors; retention

§ 11–1551. Jurisdiction of children and minors; retention (a) Except as herein otherwise provided, the Juvenile Court has original and exclusive jurisdiction of all cases and in proceedings: (1) concerning a child as defined by section 16–2301: (A) who has violated a law, or has violated an ordinance or regulation of the District of Columbia; (B) who is habitually beyond the control of his parent, guardian, or custodian; (C) who is habitually truant from school or home; (D) who habitually so deports himself as to injure or endanger himself or the morals or safety of himself or others; (E) who is abandoned by his parent, guardian, or custodian,; (F) who is homeless or without adequate parental support or care, or whose parent, guardian, or custodian neglects or refuses to provide support and care necessary for his health or welfare; (G) whose parent, guardian, or custodian neglects or refuses to provide or avail himself of the special care made necessary by his mental condition; (H) who associates with vagrants, or vicious or immoral persons; (I) who engages in an occupation, or is in a situation, dangerous to life or limb or injurious to the health or morals of himself or others; 77 Stat. 499 (2) subject to applicable statutes of limitation, concerning a minor 18 years of age or older who is charged with: (A) having violated any law; or (B) having violated any ordinance or regulation of the District of Columbia— prior to his having become 18 years of age; and (3) to determine the custody or guardianship of the person of a child coming within the provisions of this section and subchapter I of chapter 23 of Title 16; but the provisions of this clause do not deprive other courts of the right to determine the custody of children upon writs of habeas corpus, or when the custody is incidental to the determination of causes pending therein. (b) When jurisdiction is obtained by the Juvenile Court in the case of a child under 18 years of age at the time of the offense, the child shall continue under the jurisdiction of the court until he becomes 21 years of age unless the court discharges him prior thereto. This subsection does not affect the jurisdiction of other courts over offenses committed by the child after he reaches the age of 18 years.