First-time misdemeanor offenders age 10 to 17 who admit guilt. The Leon County Teen Court is a sentencing hearing for first-time juvenile offenders.
Teenagers serve as the jury, the attorneys, the bailiff, and the defendant.
The only adult in the courtroom is the judge, who is typically a local attorney. The program began in 1992. Every Tuesday night, volunteers and past defendants fulfilling sentences report for jury duty. The teens watch real cases of teenagers who made a mistake in their actions and violated a law. At the end of the trial, the jury of teen peers reaches a decision and sentences the defendant.