R.J.G. Missouri Cases

R.J.G., who was 17 at the time of alleged felony offenses, was charged in a court of general jurisdiction. The circuit court dismissed the state's prosecution without prejudice, concluding the juvenile division had exclusive authority under recent legislation. The Missouri Supreme Court overruled R.J.G.'s motion to dismiss the state's appeal, holding that the dismissal was a final, appealable judgment. The Court then reversed the circuit court's judgment, finding that the 2018 legislation expanding juvenile jurisdiction to 17-year-olds was not effective until July 1, 2021, meaning R.J.G. was considered an adult under the law applicable in October 2020.