Rule 3.950 - Waiver of Jurisdiction(A) Authority. Only a judge assigned to hear cases in the family division of the circuit court of the county where the offense is alleged to have been committed may waive jurisdiction pursuant to MCL 712A.4.(B) Definition. As used in this rule, "felony" means an offense punishable by imprisonment for more than one year or an offense designated by law as a felony.(C) Motion by Prosecuting Attorney. A motion by the prosecuting attorney requesting that the family division waive its jurisdiction to a court of general criminal jurisdiction must be in writing and must clearly indicate the charges and that if the motion is granted the juvenile will be prosecuted as though an adult. (1) A motion to waive jurisdiction of the juvenile must be filed within 14 days after the petition has been authorized to be filed. Absent a timely motion and good cause shown, the juvenile shall no longer be subject to waiver of jurisdiction on the charges.(2) A copy of the motion seeking waiver must be personally served on the juvenile and the parent, guardian, or legal custodian of the juvenile, if their addresses or whereabouts are known or can be determined by the exercise of due diligence.(D) Hearing Procedure. The waiver hearing consists of two phases. Notice of the date, time, and place of the hearings may be given either on the record directly to the juvenile or to the attorney for the juvenile, the prosecuting attorney, and all other parties, or in writing, served on each individual.(1) First Phase. The first-phase hearing is to determine whether there is probable cause to believe that an offense has been committed that if committed by an adult would be a felony, and that there is probable cause to believe that the juvenile who is 14 years of age or older committed the offense. (a) The probable cause hearing must be commenced within 28 days after the authorization of the petition unless adjourned for good cause.(b) At the hearing, the prosecuting attorney has the burden to present legally admissible evidence to establish each element of the offense and to establish probable cause that the juvenile committed the offense.(c) The court need not conduct the first phase of the waiver hearing, if:(i) the court has found the requisite probable cause at a hearing under MCR 3.935(D)(1), provided that at the earlier hearing only legally admissible evidence was used to establish probable cause that the offense was committed and probable cause that the juvenile committed the offense; or(ii) the juvenile, after being informed by the court on the record that the probable cause hearing is equivalent to and held in place of preliminary examination in district court, waives the hearing. The court must determine that the waiver of hearing is freely, voluntarily, and understandingly given and that the juvenile knows there will be no preliminary examination in district court if the court waives jurisdiction.(2) Second Phase. If the court finds the requisite probable cause at the first-phase hearing, or if there is no hearing pursuant to subrule (D)(1)(c), the second-phase hearing shall be held to determine whether the interests of the juvenile and the public would best be served by granting the motion. However, if the juvenile has been previously subject to the general criminal jurisdiction of the circuit court under MCL 712A.4 or 600.606, the court shall waive jurisdiction of the juvenile to the court of general criminal jurisdiction without holding the second-phase hearing. (a) The second-phase hearing must be commenced within 28 days after the conclusion of the first phase, or within 35 days after the authorization of the petition if there was no hearing under subrule (D)(1)(c), unless adjourned for good cause.(b) The Michigan Rules of Evidence, other than those with respect to privileges, do not apply to the second phase of the waiver hearing.(c) The prosecuting attorney has the burden of establishing by a preponderance of the evidence that the best interests of the juvenile and the public would be served by waiver.(d) The court, in determining whether to waive the juvenile to the court having general criminal jurisdiction, shall consider and make findings on the following criteria, giving greater weight to the seriousness of the alleged offense and the juvenile's prior record of delinquency than to the other criteria: (i) the seriousness of the alleged offense in terms of community protection, including, but not limited to, the existence of any aggravating factors recognized by the sentencing guidelines, the use of a firearm or other dangerous weapon, and the effect on any victim;(ii) the culpability of the juvenile in committing the alleged offense, including, but not limited to, the level of the juvenile's participation in planning and carrying out the offense and the existence of any aggravating or mitigating factors recognized by the sentencing guidelines;(iii) the juvenile's prior record of delinquency including, but not limited to, any record of detention, any police record, any school record, or any other evidence indicating prior delinquent behavior;(iv) the juvenile's programming history, including, but not limited to, the juvenile's past willingness to participate meaningfully in available programming;(v) the adequacy of the punishment or programming available in the juvenile justice system;(vi) the dispositional options available for the juvenile.(e) In determining whether to waive the juvenile to the court having general criminal jurisdiction, the court may also consider any stipulation by the defense to a finding that the best interests of the juvenile and the public support a waiver.(E) Grant of Waiver Motion.(1) If the court determines that it is in the best interests of the juvenile and public to waive jurisdiction over the juvenile, the court must: (a) Enter a written order granting the motion to waive jurisdiction and transferring the matter to the appropriate court having general criminal jurisdiction for arraignment of the juvenile on an information.(b) Make findings of fact and conclusions of law forming the basis for entry of the waiver order. The findings and conclusions may be incorporated in a written opinion or stated on the record.(c) Advise the juvenile, orally or in writing, that(i) the juvenile is entitled to appellate review of the decision to waive jurisdiction,(ii) the juvenile must seek review of the decision in the Court of Appeals within 21 days of the order to preserve the appeal of right, and(iii) if the juvenile is financially unable to retain an attorney, the court will appoint one to represent the juvenile on appeal.(d) The court shall send, without cost, a copy of the order and a copy of the written opinion or transcript of the court's findings and conclusions, to the court having general criminal jurisdiction.(2) Upon the grant of a waiver motion, a juvenile must be transferred to the adult criminal justice system and is subject to the same procedures used for adult criminal defendants. Juveniles waived pursuant to this rule are required to be kept separate and apart from adult prisoners as required by MCL 764.27a.(F) Denial of Waiver Motion. If the waiver motion is denied, the court shall make written findings or place them on the record. A transcript of the court's findings or, if a written opinion is prepared, a copy of the written opinion must be sent to the prosecuting attorney and the juvenile, or juvenile's attorney, upon request. If the juvenile is detained and the trial of the matter in the family division has not started within 28 days after entry of the order denying the waiver motion, and the delay is not attributable to the defense, the court shall forthwith order the juvenile released pending trial without requiring that bail be posted, unless the juvenile is being detained on another matter.(G) Psychiatric Testimony. (1) A psychiatrist, psychologist, or certified social worker who conducts a court-ordered examination for the purpose of a waiver hearing may not testify at a subsequent criminal proceeding involving the juvenile without the juvenile's written consent.(2) The juvenile's consent may only be given: (a) in the presence of an attorney representing the juvenile or, if no attorney represents the juvenile, in the presence of a parent, guardian, or legal custodian;(b) after the juvenile has had an opportunity to read the report of the psychiatrist, psychologist, or certified social worker; and(c) after the waiver decision is rendered.(3) Consent to testimony by the psychiatrist, psychologist, or certified social worker does not waive the juvenile's privilege against self-incrimination.Amended September 18, 2019, effective 1/1/2020; amended December 29, 2021, effective 12/29/2021.