§12-15-129. Conduct of hearings generally.

All hearings pursuant to this chapter shall be conducted by the juvenile court without a jury and separate from other proceedings. The general public shall be excluded from delinquency, in need of supervision, or dependency hearings and only the parties, their counsel, witnesses, and other persons requested by a party shall be admitted. Other persons as the juvenile court finds to have a proper interest in the case or in the work of the juvenile court may be admitted by the juvenile court on condition that the persons refrain from divulging any information which would identify the child under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court or family involved. If the juvenile court finds that it is in the best interests of the child under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, the child may be temporarily excluded from the hearings, except while allegations of delinquency or in need of supervision are being heard.

(Acts 1975, No. 1205, p. 2384, §5-128; Acts 1987, No. 87-597, p. 1037, §1; Acts 1990, No. 90-674, p. 1304, §11; Acts 1993, No. 93-256, p. 367, §1; Acts 1995, No. 95-545, p. 1143, §1; Act 98-372, p. 677, §1; §12-15-65; amended and renumbered by Act 2008-277, p. 441, §7.)