Teen Court gives youth a second chance

There's a jury, prosecutor, defense attorney and court clerk at these legal proceedings.

The rulings are just as legitimate as the Lenoir County sheriff's deputy working as bailiff who yells out "all rise" at the beginning of court.

The difference is this: the teenagers who come to Teen Court face individuals far more intimidating to them than middle-aged attorneys dressed in business attire - their peers.

Teen Court - which is held the first and last Tuesday of each month at the Lenoir County Courthouse - is a diversion program for misdemeanor juvenile offenders who have no prior criminal record. Youth ages 12 to 18 make restitution for their offenses through less than 20 hours of community service, education about their offense and jury duty at future Teen Court sessions..

It's a program designed to inform young offenders about the court system, direct cases away from district criminal court and allow defendants to explain their involvement in the offense.

Teens who've pleaded guilty to charges in district court and gone through Teen Court have come back to volunteer after their sentence is served.

"I'm volunteering because they got me out of a tight deal," 17-year-old Ethan Taylor - who was convicted of an alcohol-related offense in October - said Tuesday night before performing duties as court reporter. "I figured if they helped me get out of a tight deal, I can help them, too."

The South Lenoir High School graduate said he pleaded guilty to his charge in district court, told the judge he was interested in Teen Court for sentencing and possibly saved his future, which is to attend University Technical Institute.

Billy Taylor, 15, said he got in trouble for trespassing a couple months ago and was ordered to perform Teen Court jury duty as part of his restitution.

"It gives you a second chance," the North Lenoir High School student said. "It helps you think about (offenses) and without getting into bad stuff like probation and all that."

Billy Taylor has not been in trouble with the law since.

Coyote Brantley, 18, volunteers as a prosecutor in the court. He and a 14-year-old prosecutor take turns battling with three teen defense attorneys working for Teen Court Coordinator Ronni Brantley - Coyote's mother - twice monthly.

"(Defendants) all think I'm the bad guy because I'm the prosecutor," Coyote Brantley said. "The only reason I'm as hard on them as I am is because I really think that's the only way they're going to learn.

"You have the defense who tries to get them a lighter sentence and I try to get them a heavier sentence - and by doing that, they get a nice medium and they learn from their experience."

Local defense attorney Dal Wooten - a professional attorney - has served as a Teen Court judge for two years and said he doesn't recall seeing a defendant from Teen Court defendant later in criminal court.

"I think the kids get punished by doing community service, which is something that happens in adult court," he said. "But it allows them to do the community punishment, go through some programs and keep a clean record so that it doesn't haunt them for the rest of their lives.

"You have other programs that have a high failure rate - this one seems to be very successful."

Justin Schoenberger can be reached at (252) 559-1075 or jschoenberger@freedomenc.com.

Teens aged 12 through 18 are eligible for Teen Court if convicted of:
-Affray
-Disorderly Conduct
-Trespassing
-Property damage (less than $400)
-Communicating threats
-Shoplifting
-Larceny
-Possession of stolen property (less than $400)
-Possession of marijuana (up to 1/2 an ounce)
-Possession of alcohol without driving
-Simple assault without injury
-Resist, obstruct, delay