Contact the Teen Court Coordinator for volunteer or referral information.
Encourage youth to apply as Teen Court jurors or attorneys.
Support Teen Court through community partnerships and mentoring opportunities.
For more information, please contact DJ Shouse
at 812-231-8918, or by email [email protected].
Court Sessions
Court sessions held twice each month.
90-Day Program
Each participant completes a 90-day program beginning after their court date.
Become a Volunteer
Ongoing volunteer recruitment for teen jurors, attorneys, and clerks.
Program Overview
Teen Court promotes accountability through peer leadership—offering first-time youth offenders an alternative to traditional juvenile court. Through restorative justice, youth gain skills in empathy, leadership, and responsibility while working toward a fresh start.
About the Program
Teen Court is a peer-led, volunteer-based diversion program providing an alternative path for first-time youth misdemeanor offenders. Participants are referred by Juvenile Probation and appear before a court of their peers, where a teen jury determines restorative sentences that promote learning and growth.
This innovative program empowers youth to:
- Take ownership of their actions.
- Engage in restorative justice practices.
- Demonstrate empathy, responsibility, and integrity.
- Develop leadership, communication, and civic skills.
Each participant enters a 90-day program following their court session. Upon successful completion of all requirements, the youth’s juvenile record is cleared—a powerful second chance that fosters personal development and community connection.
Teen Court also gives teen volunteers valuable experiences in leadership and justice, serving as attorneys, bailiffs, clerks, and jurors while developing real-world decision-making and teamwork skills.
67 youth served annually
Two court sessions per month
85% program completion rate
100% youth-driven and peer-led
By promoting accountability, empathy, and positive change, Teen Court strengthens both individual lives and the broader community. CASY’s commitment to restorative justice ensures that every young person has the opportunity to learn, lead, and grow.
Offering first-time youth offenders a second chance through restorative justice.
How Teen Court Works for Youth
Teen Court is is targeted to assist first-time offenders and designed as a type of deferred program for children meeting certain eligibility requirements. To qualify for the program, the teen must admit to a misdemeanor or lower charge. The court session meets out a constructive sentence before a judge through a process utilizing teenage attorneys and jurors, giving a true definition to “jury of your peers.” Constructive sentences will include community service hours, jury terms, workshops, and essays. Each case brought before the jury will be different, as will the sentences. Once the sentence is completed, there is no evidence of the offense in the teen’s record, effectively giving the teenager a second chance to be a model citizen. The idea is to target those who, with some encouragement, have the best chance of staying out of future trouble.
Teen Court Participants
As with any program, success depends on the commitment of those involved. The participants in the Teen Court program are predominately teenagers. The program utilizes teenage attorneys, teenage/college intern bailiffs, teenage/college intern court clerks, and teenage jurors. With the aid of a few adults, these teenagers develop leadership abilities, teamwork skills, and a sense of self-worth. Listed below are the main participants in the Teen Court program.
The Defendants
The defendants are teens in the community, usually referred to Teen Court from the Juvenile Probation Office. After they are ticketed for their offense/s, they are referred to Teen Court.
The Attorneys
The attorneys are trained volunteers. The training consists of situational lessons, job shadowing, acting as supportive counsel and lead counsel. The teen attorneys may call and question witnesses and bring forth information pertaining to their argument of the case. Aggravating and mitigating circumstances are heavily discussed.
The Jurors
Teens make up the jury, and their verdicts must be unanimous before they can return from deliberation. The defendants participating in this program will be required to serve at least one term as a jury member but no more than four. Members will be selected from area schools. Participants will be able to select from three different terms: fall, spring, or summer.
The Judge
The judge who serves Teen Court will be a local judge or attorney. Should the judge be unable to serve the local Teen Court, the Teen Court Program Director will serve as judge. An adult is used in this capacity to create the real effect of a courtroom appearance.