The type of court that handles most cases involving minors. Juveniles involved in criminal cases generally appear in juvenile court rather than criminal court, as do children considered incorrigible. In cases of child abuse and neglect or termination of parental rights, parents may sometimes be called before a juvenile court, with the minor’s interest often represented by a court-appointed guardian ad litem (at law) or a court-appointed special advocate (CASA). In some states, the role of the juvenile court is taken over by the family court. Judges sometimes appoint referees or commissioners to handle actual hearings in juvenile court.