For adult cases in our court, defendants may plead guilty or no contest. I like it that the judge gives them this option. But in juvenile cases, it's either true or not true. I have a tricky juvenile case pending where the kid would plead no contest if possible, but I'm not sure if he'll plead true. Is there a way around this?

Let me start by saying that I have practiced juvenile law in lots of counties and each county has their own way of doing things so this may not be the way your particular county thinks is permissible AND I have been away from a steady juvenile practice for awhile now but.... I have participated in cases where there was no formal plea of true or not true but instead both sides filed an agreed statement of facts or a stipulation of facts/evidence and the Judge based his decision/the judgement on that.

If you look at 54.03(i) that last sentence seems to imply that in an uncontested adjudication a child can plea or agree to a stip. Similarly, the same "or" language can be found in 56.01(n).