El Dorado County Teen Court in
South Lake Tahoe is recruiting new student participants for the spring program.
El Dorado County students in grades 8 through 12 are invited to attend the Teen
Court volunteer training on January 21, 2016, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. at the El
Dorado County Superior Court, Department 4, located at 1354 Johnson Boulevard
in South Lake Tahoe.
After completing the mandatory training, teens serve as
court personnel for real cases in which a minor has committed an offense,
admitted the offense and chosen to be judged for sentencing by their peers.
Superior Court Judges and senior attorneys preside over teen court. Community
attorneys donate their time to help students develop their cases.
“Teen Court provides youth in our community with a unique
opportunity to learn about the juvenile justice system, and defendants receive
a fair sentence from their peers,” said Jorge Orozco, Teen Court Coordinator. Youth
interested in joining Teen Court must attend the training on January 21 to
become volunteers. Students should arrive at the Court House no later than 4:45
p.m. Pre-registration for the training is not required. Courtroom attire is
required. Teen Court hearings will be held February through May 2016 on
scheduled Thursday nights. A calendar of hearing dates is given at the
training.
The highly successful Teen Court program began in El
Dorado County in 1992 and is funded through the El Dorado County Health and
Human Services Agency, Alcohol and Drug Programs. Teen Court cases are referred
and managed by the El Dorado County Probation Department. The County Superior
Court Judges, Sheriff's Office, Bar Association and local attorneys are
important program partners.
For more information about Teen Court in South Lake
Tahoe, please contact Orozco at (530) 573-7964.
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