When a defendant under 17 commits contempt, and a contempt hearing could not be held before they turned 17, the court has lost authority to act.

• A. It depends on the offense
• B. The court must transfer to district court
• C. False
• D. True

Answer: (C)

Contempt is an enforcement tool to compel obedience to a court’s orders, and a court’s authority to address contempt is rooted in enforcing those orders, not in the precise age of the offender at the time a hearing is scheduled. If a defendant under 17 disobeys a court order and a contempt hearing isn’t held before they turn 17, the court does not automatically lose its power to act. The court generally retains jurisdiction to enforce its orders and to address contempt, even across a change in age, provided the conduct involves ongoing noncompliance or the order remains in effect. In short, aging out before a contempt hearing does not erase the court’s authority to proceed; the statement is not correct.