Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6354 (2026)

Effect of adjudication.

✓ current as of May 2026

Coverage note: this corpus holds the consolidated Pa.C.S. titles only. Unconsolidated P.S. statutes (UTPCPL 73 P.S. § 201-1, Liquor Code, wage payment laws) are not included; a miss here does not mean the statute does not exist. Check palegis.us.

Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section PA-LEGpalegis.us JustiaTitle on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

§ 6354. Effect of adjudication.

(a) General rule.--An order of disposition or other adjudication in a proceeding under this chapter is not a conviction of crime and does not impose any civil disability ordinarily resulting from a conviction or operate to disqualify the child in any civil service application or appointment.

(b) Effect in subsequent judicial matters.--The disposition of a child under this chapter may only be used against him:

(1) in dispositional proceedings after conviction for the purposes of a presentence investigation and report if the child was adjudicated delinquent;

(2) in a subsequent juvenile hearing, whether before or after reaching majority;

(3) if relevant, where he has put his reputation or character in issue in a civil matter; or

(4) in a criminal proceeding, if the child was adjudicated delinquent for an offense, the evidence of which would be admissible if committed by an adult.

(May 12, 1995, 1st Sp.Sess., P.L.1006, No.13, eff. 60 days)

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 46 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1980–2023 · leading case: Commonwealth v. Baker, 614 A.2d 663 (Pa. 1992).

Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment

Commonwealth v. Baker, 614 A.2d 663 (Pa. 1992). · cites it 10× “2, 42 Pa.C.S. § 6354, should not have been admitted into evidence because it does not constitute a "conviction" for purposes of capital sentencing; 2) that while robbery and aggravated assault are crimes of violence, burglary is not; and 3) that it was error to allow the reading…”

Commonwealth v. Birdsong, 24 A.3d 319 (Pa. 2011). · cites it 4× “42 Pa.C.S. § 6354. [24] Commonwealth v. Baker, 531 Pa.”

Commonwealth v. Hannibal, S., Aplt., 156 A.3d 197 (Pa. 2016). · cites it 2× “We note, although the General Assembly subsequently amended 42 Pa.C.S. §6354(b)(4) to permit juvenile adjudications to be used for impeachment purposes, counsel cannot be deemed ineffective for failing to predict changes in the law.”

Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Hale, T., 128 A.3d 781 (Pa. 2015). · cites it 5× “Furthermore, the Superior Court noted that a specific distinction is made, internally within the terms of Section 6105, between convictions and juvenile adjudications.”

Commonwealth v. Carson, 913 A.2d 220 (Pa. 2006). · cites it 2× “Appellant argues that the use of juvenile adjudications to support the (d)(9) aggravating circumstance is unconstitutionally vague, pursuant to the Eighth Amendment and the Due Process Clause, because: (1) the Juvenile Act, 42 Pa.C.S. § 6354(a), states that an adjudication of…”

Commonwealth v. Thomas, 743 A.2d 460 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1999). · cites it 8× “See 42 Pa.C.S. § 6354(a). Consequently, we concur in the trial court's refusal to apply the enhancement to the defendant in this case, and we affirm the judgment of sentence.”

Commonwealth v. Hale, 85 A.3d 570 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2014). · cites it 3× “5 Appellant also highlights that the Juvenile Act sets forth that “[a]n order of disposition or other adjudication in a proceeding under this chapter is not a conviction of a crime and does not impose any civil disability ordinarily resulting from a conviction.”

Commonwealth v. McKeever, 689 A.2d 272 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1997). · cites it 5× “However, by adding subsection (b)(4) to 42 Pa.C.S. § 6354 during the Special Session on Crime, the General Assembly demonstrated a clear intent to hold juveniles to a greater degree of accountability as part of the continuing effort to enact laws that provide for more severe…”

Commonwealth v. Weiss, 81 A.3d 767 (Pa. 2013). “…child was adjudicated delinquent for an offense, the evidence of which would be admissible if committed by an adult. 42 Pa.C.S. § 6354.”

Com. v. Lee, N., 2021 Pa. Super. 148 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2021). · cites it 3× “See 42 Pa.C.S. § 6354(a) (prescribing that “[a]n order of disposition or other adjudication in a proceeding under this chapter is not a conviction of a crime” (emphasis added)).”

Commonwealth, Aplt v. Pelzer, K., 104 A.3d 267 (Pa. 2014). “” 42 Pa.C.S. § 6354. To my mind, given that juvenile adjudications are not convictions for nearly every other purpose, it is simply impossible to say that the Court is engaging in narrow construction, while it is simultaneously disregarding the statutorily-prescribed treatment…”

Commonwealth v. Case, 469 A.2d 162 (Pa. 1984). · cites it 6× “§ 50-337, and substantially re-enacted by the Juvenile Act of 1972, Act of December 6, 1972, P.”

Show all 46 citing cases →

— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6354(a) — 19 cases

Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Hale, T., 128 A.3d 781 (Pa. 2015). “Furthermore, the Superior Court noted that a specific distinction is made, internally within the terms of Section 6105, between convictions and juvenile adjudications.”

Commonwealth v. Carson, 913 A.2d 220 (Pa. 2006). “Appellant argues that the use of juvenile adjudications to support the (d)(9) aggravating circumstance is unconstitutionally vague, pursuant to the Eighth Amendment and the Due Process Clause, because: (1) the Juvenile Act, 42 Pa.C.S. § 6354(a), states that an adjudication of…”

Commonwealth v. Thomas, 743 A.2d 460 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1999). “See 42 Pa.C.S. § 6354(a). Consequently, we concur in the trial court's refusal to apply the enhancement to the defendant in this case, and we affirm the judgment of sentence.”

Com. v. Lee, N., 2021 Pa. Super. 148 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2021). “See 42 Pa.C.S. § 6354(a) (prescribing that “[a]n order of disposition or other adjudication in a proceeding under this chapter is not a conviction of a crime” (emphasis added)).”

Commonwealth v. Hale, 85 A.3d 570 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2014). “5 Appellant also highlights that the Juvenile Act sets forth that “[a]n order of disposition or other adjudication in a proceeding under this chapter is not a conviction of a crime and does not impose any civil disability ordinarily resulting from a conviction.”

— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6354(b) — 12 cases

Commonwealth v. Baker, 614 A.2d 663 (Pa. 1992). “2, 42 Pa.C.S. § 6354, should not have been admitted into evidence because it does not constitute a "conviction" for purposes of capital sentencing; 2) that while robbery and aggravated assault are crimes of violence, burglary is not; and 3) that it was error to allow the reading…”

Commonwealth v. Case, 469 A.2d 162 (Pa. 1984). “§ 50-337, and substantially re-enacted by the Juvenile Act of 1972, Act of December 6, 1972, P.”

Commonwealth v. Cauto, 535 A.2d 602 (Pa. 1987).

— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6354(b)(1) — 1 case

Commonwealth v. Woodward, 534 A.2d 478 (Pa. 1987).

— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6354(b)(2) — 2 cases

In re J.H., 737 A.2d 275 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1999).

In Re Jh, 737 A.2d 275 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1999).

— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6354(b)(3) — 1 case

N.H. v. L.W., 43 Pa. D. & C.4th 105 (1999).

— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6354(b)(4) — 5 cases

Commonwealth v. Hannibal, S., Aplt., 156 A.3d 197 (Pa. 2016). “We note, although the General Assembly subsequently amended 42 Pa.C.S. §6354(b)(4) to permit juvenile adjudications to be used for impeachment purposes, counsel cannot be deemed ineffective for failing to predict changes in the law.”

Commonwealth v. Birdsong, 24 A.3d 319 (Pa. 2011). “42 Pa.C.S. § 6354. [24] Commonwealth v. Baker, 531 Pa.”

Commonwealth v. McKeever, 689 A.2d 272 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1997). “However, by adding subsection (b)(4) to 42 Pa.C.S. § 6354 during the Special Session on Crime, the General Assembly demonstrated a clear intent to hold juveniles to a greater degree of accountability as part of the continuing effort to enact laws that provide for more severe…”

Abdul-Salaam v. Beard, 16 F. Supp. 3d 420 (M.D. Penn. 2014).

Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.