MI HB4844

Amends the Probate Code to update family court jurisdiction provisions over juveniles under 18 years of age, including those who have violated laws, deserted their homes, are disobedient, or are truant from school

Adds new jurisdiction for cases where a parent or legally responsible person has lost or given up custody of a juvenile and a petition is filed to terminate parental rights under section 19b

Updates gendered language throughout the statute, replacing "his or her" and "himself or herself" with gender-neutral terms like "the juvenile" and "the juvenile's"

Maintains court authority over neglected, abandoned, or dependent juveniles, including those whose homes are unfit due to parental neglect, cruelty, drunkenness, criminality, or depravity

Preserves existing provisions for specified juvenile violations (serious crimes like murder, assault with dangerous weapons, armed robbery) where juveniles 14 and older may be tried differently based on prosecutorial discretion