Teen Court

       Teen Court is based on the philosophy that a youthful offender does not continue to offend when a peer jury decides punishment. Teen Court requires cooperation between circuit court judges, juvenile probation officers, the local education system and local lawyers.

       West Virginia's Teen Courts have succeeded in interrupting patterns of criminal behavior by promoting self-esteem, self-improvement and developing a healthy attitude toward authority. 

      Teen cases are real cases in which a juvenile has been arrested and the charges have progressed through the normal channels of magistrate or circuit court.   Possible offenses  include  shoplifting, vandalism,  alcohol possession, disorderly conduct, trespassing, interference in a school function, petty theft or truancy . Teen defendant participation is voluntary and requires an advance guilty plea.  Teen defendants must have parental or guardian consent. 

      Probation officers screen defendants for any prior arrest history and refer appropriate cases to Teen Court.  In Teen Court, high school  volunteers serve as clerks, bailiffs, prosecuting and defense attorneys, and  jurors.  A volunteer local attorney serves as the judge.

      The judge and the Teen Court Coordinator must approve the jury's sentence.  After sentencing,  the defendant and his or her parents sign an agreement to carry out the sentence. Most defendants are in the program for about three months.

Supreme Court of Appeals  | Circuit Courts | Mental Hygiene |  Family Courts  | Municipal Courts