Which documents may authorize a juvenile to be taken into custody?

• A. Only a court order
• B. A warrant, a capias, or a court order based on juvenile welfare
• C. Only with parental consent
• D. A police officer's discretion without any document

Answer: (B)

Authority to take a juvenile into custody must be grounded in a formal process or order, not just informal consent or officer discretion. A law enforcement officer may lawfully detain a juvenile when there is a warrant issued by the court, a capias directing the juvenile’s detention, or a court order based on juvenile welfare provisions that authorizes custody. These documents provide the legal basis and due process for removing a juvenile from possession or placing them in care. Parental consent alone does not grant authority to take custody, and acting solely on discretion without any documented authorization would not meet legal standards.