Chapter 12 : Why was the court hearing important? What were possible decisions of the court?

The choices were guilty of wrong doing or not guilty of wrong doing. Ppny could have been taken away from Darry's care and the family broken up. After being questioned gently by the judge, he is acquitted and is allowed to return home. He changes temporarily, becoming depressed and sad; he even becomes somewhat violent. Eventually though he seems to return to the "good kid" he has been throughout the novel.