Which case ensured fair treatment for juveniles in court, akin to adults?

The case that established fair treatment for juveniles in court, akin to adults, is In re Gault. This landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1967 fundamentally transformed the juvenile justice system by recognizing that juveniles have the right to due process. The ruling determined that juveniles are entitled to essential legal rights, including the right to counsel, the right to confront witnesses, and the right against self-incrimination.

These rights are similar to those afforded to adults in criminal trials, emphasizing the importance of protecting the legal rights of minors. This case arose from the conviction of Gerald Gault, a 15-year-old who was sentenced to a state industrial school without the benefit of a trial that adhered to due process standards. The Supreme Court's decision asserted that the juvenile system must uphold fairness and not compromise a young individual's legal rights in the pursuit of rehabilitation.

In comparison, while Kent v. United States addressed the criteria for transferring a juvenile to adult court, it did not extend the same breadth of rights outlined in In re Gault. Other cases, such as Breed v. Jones and Winship, further built on juvenile rights but were focused on specific aspects of juvenile justice rather than establishing the foundational principles laid out in In re