The Hardin County Teen Court is inviting all area high school students and their parents to attend an open house and mock trial at the Hardin County Justice Center Thursday night beginning at 6:30 p.m.
“Teen Court is an arm of the Administrative Office of Courts for Juvenile Court,” said Hardin District Judge Kimberly Winkenhofer Schumate. “We train local high school students, freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors to be the attorneys, the bailiffs, the clerks and the jury in the sentencing phase of actual juvenile cases.”
While Thursday night’s event will show a demonstration, actual Teen Court proceedings are real cases with individuals facing delinquent charges.
“Traditionally, Juvenile Court has no jury of your peers, but in Teen Court, you can actually have the opportunity to have other teens decide what are consequences, and how can you learn from those mistakes and be able to grow and move forward,” Judge Schumate said.
Judge Schumate says all area students willing to put in the required time are welcome.
“Teen Court is a chance for students from all of our area high schools, both public and private, and homeschool students to gather together, and we generally train about 100 local area students, and it’s just an opportunity to do something that you may not have ever had a chance to do before,” Judge Schumate said.
Interested students unable to attend the open house may also sign up at the first Teen Court training session, which will also be held at the justice center on September 5. Contact Judge Schumate’s office at 270-766-5004 for more information.