Can a juvenile adjudication of the defendant be admitted under Rule 609(c)?

• A. In civil cases
• B. In criminal cases where adjudication was the defendant
• C. In criminal cases where adjudication was of the defendant
• D. Not admissible if the witness is the defendant

Answer: (D)

The key idea is how juvenile adjudications are treated for impeachment under Rule 609(c). This rule generally bars using juvenile adjudications to impeach a witness, and there is no exception that allows admitting a juvenile adjudication to impeach the defendant’s credibility. The only narrow exception in 609(c) applies to a witness other than the defendant, and only if the juvenile adjudication involved a crime of dishonesty or a false statement. Since the question involves the defendant as the witness, a juvenile adjudication cannot be admitted for impeachment. In short, juvenile adjudications aren’t admissible against the defendant, even though they might be considered for other witnesses in some circumstances.