Leon County Teen Court

Student volunteers (7th-12th graders) and past defendants fulfilling sentences make up the jury. They watch real cases of teenagers who have been arrested for violating a criminal law. At the end of the trial, the jury of only teenage peers decides a just sentence for the defendant and the case. Everyone involved in the courtroom proceeding is a teenager except the judge, who is a bar-certified attorney or an actual judge. (There are other adult staff members and law enformcenet present for supervision). On a regular basis we have over 40 youth attending each week to serve as Jurors, Attorneys, Bailiffs, and Clerks. To volunteer, you must register on the Teen Court website: www.leoncountyfl.gov/teencourt.

Teen Court is a real sentencing hearing for first time misdemeanor and felony juvenile offenders. Our vision is to help juvenile offenders take responsibility for their actions, increase awareness of the law and promote community involvement by providing volunteer opportunities to both youth and adults. Although Teen Court is a non-judicial proceeding, the sanctions decided on by the jury are binding. All proceedings are conducted by trained TEEN attorneys, bailiffs, and jurors.