Teen Court

Teen Court

The Arvada Teen Court Program provides an opportunity for first-time offenders between the ages of 11 and 17 to be sentenced by a magistrate panel or jury of their peers, rather than by an adult judge. The defendants, magistrates, attorneys and jurors are all teens. 

Arvada Teen Court uses a justice philosophy called "Restorative Justice."  This philosophy focuses on restoring the defendant's place in society.  Restorative Justice consists of three parts:  Accountability (increasing the defendant's awareness of the harmful effects their behavior has had on the victim), Competency (increasing the defendant's skills to make them more capable than when they entered the juvenile justice system) and Community Safety (connecting the defendant to his/her community and thereby providing for community safety). The goal is rehabilitation, not strictly punishment.

Teen Court is looking for volunteers, age 14 - 17, to serve as magistrates, jurors, bailiffs, and attorneys!

Do you like to argue?  Are you interested in the law?  Do you think you can listen carefully and then deliberate based on evidence?  Do you want to improve your public speaking skills?  Could your resume or college application use a boost?  Do you need to complete community service through school?  If you answered "Yes" to any of the above questions, this program is for you!

Join us for an orientation session on September 21, 2009 from 4:30 to 6:00 pm in the courtroom at City Hall.

Questions may be directed to teencourt@arvada.org or 720.898.7171