LEGAL ANALYSIS OF DECISION NUMBER 26/Pid.Sus/2025/PN JOMBANG ON THE CASE OF THE CRIMINAL ACT OF SEXUAL INTERCULATION WITH A MINORS

The crime of sexual intercourse with a minor is a form of sexual violence categorized as an extraordinary crime due to its severe and multidimensional impacts on the physical, psychological, and developmental well-being of the victim. The state, through constitutional and statutory mandates, bears the responsibility to provide maximum protection for children, as stipulated in Article 28B paragraph (2) of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia and Law Number 35 of 2014 concerning Child Protection. This study aims to analyze the legal considerations of the judge in Decision Number 26/Pid.Sus/2025/PN Jbg regarding a case of sexual intercourse with a minor and to assess the extent to which the decision aligns with positive legal provisions and the principles of child protection in the Indonesian criminal justice system. This research employs a normative juridical method with statutory and case approaches. Data were collected through literature review, consisting of primary, secondary, and tertiary legal materials. The analysis was conducted qualitatively by examining legal norms and the structure of legal reasoning used in the court decision. The results of the study indicate that the judge's legal reasoning in the verdict generally considered the elements of the criminal act in accordance with Article 81 of the Child Protection Law. However, certain aspects reveal weaknesses in applying the principle of the best interest of the child, particularly in ensuring optimal protection of the victim’s rights. Therefore, it is essential to strengthen the child protection perspective in judicial reasoning to ensure that verdicts not only fulfill formal legal standards but also reflect substantive justice.