Warren County Justice Center holds Teen Court swearing-in; more than 50 students pledge confidentiality

# What happened Court swearing-in ceremony. More than 50 high school students were sworn in Monday night to serve in roles such as student attorneys, prosecutors, defense attorneys and jurors. Each participant pledged to keep case details confidential.

# What Teen Court does Teen Court hears real juvenile cases. Juveniles who have already admitted guilt appear before their peers. Student attorneys prepare and present cases and juries made up of students recommend constructive sentences instead of traditional juvenile sanctions.

Teen Court coordinator Jacob Stover described the program's goals: "These attorneys come up with a constructive sentence as their punishment. It's a good deterrent for the kids and helps them stay out of the system after this."

Kimberly Geoghegan, the Teen Court presiding judge, outlined benefits for student participants: "It gives them an opportunity to develop their public-speaking skills, gain exposure to the legal system and develop their critical-thinking skills." She added that jurors can recommend constructive sentences for juvenile offenders.

# Mock trial and parent involvement At the ceremony parents watched a mock trial intended to demonstrate what students will do in real cases. Organizers used the mock trial to show how student participants apply courtroom skills and how the process works before sessions begin.

# Typical outcomes and follow-up

# Timing and schedule Teen Court will start hearing cases in October. The program will hold monthly court sessions running through May.

# What this means for students and juveniles

• Students gain hands-on courtroom experience, including public speaking, legal reasoning and jury deliberation.

# Practical next steps for interested community members

• Students who were sworn in will begin taking part in actual cases starting in October.
• Parents and community members can expect monthly Teen Court sessions through the following May if they want to observe the process.

# Short summary Court filled its volunteer student ranks with more than 50 sworn-in participants who pledged confidentiality. The peer-run court uses student attorneys and jurors to decide constructive sentences for juveniles who have admitted guilt. Sessions begin in October and will take place monthly through May.