Teen Court Brochure - YMCA of Greater Williamson County

COuRt In SeSSIOn
If you would like to participate in
Teen Court as a court official
or as a defendant, please contact:
Judge edna Staudt
Williamson County annex
350 discovery Blvd. #204, Cedar Park, tX 78613
(512) 260-4210
CaMP tWIn LaKeS StaFF
Camp twin Lakes
204 e. Little elm trail, Cedar Park, tX 78631
(512) 250-9622
tlcamp@ymcawilliamsonco.org
For more information &
an updated program schedule,
log on to www.ymcagwc.org.
- a branch of the YMCa of greater Williamson County -
204 e. Little elm trail, Cedar Park, tX 78613
(512) 250-9622 l www.ymcagwc.org
YOU BE
THE
JUDGE!
Williamson County / YMCA
TEEN
COURT
learn the
Legal System
from the inside
Williamson County / YMCA
TEEN
COURT
YOU
MAY
PROCEED ...

PROGRAM PURPOSE
Teen Court is a voluntary educational program where
students learn firsthand the judicial system.
Students are taught the roles of juror, bailiff,
prosecuting attorney, defense attorney, clerk, and
judge. They preside over cases actually referred by
either Justice Courts or Municipal Courts where a
student has been found guilty of a class C
misdemeanor. The student is defended by the teen
defense attorney and a jury of peers decide a sentence,
supervised by Judge Edna Staudt
of Justice Court Pct. 2 Williamson County.
Teen Court also holds teen defendants
(ages 10-17) accountable for their offenses by
ordering them to perform community
service, to serve as prospective jurors, or attend
educational programs in lieu of paying fines, in order
to have the case from the referring court dismissed
and keep a clean record.
Teen Court is held at the
Williamson County Annex
at 350 Discovery Blvd. #204
in Cedar Park, Texas.
©iStockphoto.com/unoPix
PROGRAM PROCEDURES
The defendant, who must be accompanied by at least
one parent, checks in with the bailiff by 6:30 p.m. on
court date. He or she then completes all appropriate
paper work for the court clerk and pays the $20 Teen
Court fee that is payable in cash or money order to the
YMCA Teen Court Director on that date. From there,
the defendant goes before the Teen Court officials:
jury, prosecuting attorney, defense attorney, bailiff,
and court clerk, who are all teens. The YMCA Teen
Court Director and Judge Edna Staudt then oversee
the entire hearing. When the jury reaches a decision,
the defendant, along with parent(s), returns before the
Court to hear sentencing. The defendant and parent(s)
then meet with the Teen Court Director to discuss
terms set forth by the jury. Upon completion of the
program, within a 180 day period, the
Williamson County/YMCA Teen Court delivers a
Certificate of Completion to the defendant.
NONCOMPLIANCE
with the Teen Court
requirements or time frame
will result in removal from
the program and the
fine set by the referring
court will be due
and payable.
COnDUCT & ATTIRE
Participants are required to show respect for the court
proceedings at all times. Rise when the Judge enters
the courtroom and remain standing until the Judge or
bailiff announces to be seated. Address the court as
Judge or Your Honor. Address the opposing parties,
counsel, witnesses and court officers as Mr., Mrs.,
Miss, etc. Do not use first names. Do not talk at the
same time as the court, opposing counsel or witnesses.
Racist, sexist, obscene, profane language or gestures
are prohibited. Do not enter and depart the courtroom
excessively. Do nothing to disturb or distract the
court, jury, counsels, witnesses or other court
personnel. Cellular phones and pagers must be turned
to silent mode or turned off. Do not chew gum in the
courtroom. No weapons are allowed in the courtroom.
Defendants and participants are expected to be on
time and both dress and behave according to court
standards at all times.
ACCEPTABLE COURTROOM ATTIRE
Suits, slacks, dresses, dress shirts and jeans.
UNACCEPTABLE COURTROOM ATTIRE
Shorts or cut-offs, muscle shirts, clothing with
offensive, vulgar, racist, sexist, obscene or suggestive
depictions. Clothing that is torn or ragged.
Provocative clothing designed or styled to provoke
emotion or disrupt. Stomachs may not be exposed.
No hats or flip flops are allowed.
Teen Court reserves the right to remove anyone from the
courtroom who does not comply with these
rules of Conduct & Attire.
TRUE SUCCESS STORY
Andrew Potts was introduced to the Williamson
County/YMCA Teen Court program through his
family’s membership at the YMCA of Greater
Williamson County. In fact, Andrew and his
brothers, Eli and Nathan, each participated in Teen
Court throughout their high school years. Being
homeschooled also gave them the opportunity to
perform a Teen Court mock trial for the participants
at the annual Teen Pact Legislative program at the
Capitol in Austin. To this day, Andrew, Eli and Nathan
credit Teen Court for their ability to speak with
confidence to both individuals and audiences.
Andrew, in particular, became proficient in all the
roles of the judiciary, but liked the role of
Prosecuting Attorney the best. He also aspired to
become a Supreme Court Judge. Because of his
maturity and professionalism, Andrew was allowed
to take on the role of judge while still a junior.
Since his participation in Teen Court, Andrew has
graduated from Texas A&M and is in law school at
St. Mary’s University. His involvement in Teen Court
also prompted his service and acceptance as an intern
for the Texas Supreme Court, the Justice Court
and the Williamson County Attorney.
We build strong kids, strong families, strong communities.
All court and
training sessions
will run from
approximately
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Staff should arrive
between 6:00 p.m.
and 6:15 p.m. on
court nights.
©iStockphoto.com/Rafa Irusta