Students Dispense Justice To Other Students

Brennan Caspare, who stands less than 5 feet tall, could barley see over the podium as he argued why the defendant should be punished for stealing purses.

"The defendant didn't have any money so she shouldn't have gone to the store to begin with," argued Caspare, an eighth-grader at Sebring Middle School.

On Monday night, Caspare was participating with 50 other students in Teen Court, a program run by teens, ages 12 through 18.

While Judge Peter Estrada presided over the courtroom, the teens performed the roles of prosecutors, defense attorneys, bailiffs, clerk and jurors.

"People are always worried that kids have nowhere to go after school," said Estrada, before Monday's session began. "This gives them something."

With teenagers calling the shots, questions about allowances were admissible, but like a famous television show warns its viewers, "The cases are real. The rulings are final."

"I really enjoy doing this, it's a lot of fun," said Andrew Fuller, 16, a student at Sebring High School, who played a prosecutor.

"I think this is really good for kids because it lets them know about the seriousness of their actions and the seriousness of the court process."

Students who are defendants in Teen Court have already admitted their guilt, and must have their parent or guardian meet with coordinator Melisa Sowers. Any sentence that the jurors give to the teen must be completed in order to have their charges dismissed.

Monday's sentences ranged from community service and counseling programs to letters of apology.
Defense attorneys are often left arguing that the defendants deserve lighter sentences because they have already been punished and grounded at home. Teen Court cases usually involve crimes such as shoplifting, criminal mischief, or possession of alcohol.

During Monday's session, teens playing the roles of defense attorneys met with their clients outside of the courtroom. They were guided by local attorneys Linda Rodriguez-Torrent and T.J. Wohl.

"I think it's easier to play the role of the defense attorney because you get to talk to your client prior to the start of the trial, and you get to know everything that is going on in their life," said Bradley Swenson, 16, a freshman at Sebring High School.

"I decided to become a defense attorney because I feel like a defendant needs the best help they can get," said Karen Martin, 14, a student at Avon Park High School.

In the jury deliberation room, prosecutors were given a chance to review defendant files and look over arrest reports to build their arguments and questions for the trial. Sebring city attorney Bob Swaine and attorney Elizabeth Lenihan helped the teens.

"I wouldn't ask (the defendant) a question that you don't already know the answer to," Swaine told the prosecutors.

Those who participate in Teen Court are volunteers in good academic standing who take training sessions scheduled throughout the year.

"I've always been interested in law, I've just never been given a chance to work inside a courtroom," said Larissa Fantetti, 13, an eighth-grader at Sebring Middle School. "I didn't really want to be a defense attorney. Prosecution seems like it would be more of my thing."

Monday night featured three jury trials, and a grand jury trial.

"I think this will help me out with my confidence," said Fantetti. "I think it's a great learning experience."

Jurors were sworn in by Kaitlyn Truelove, a seventh-grader at Hill-Gustat Middle School, playing the role of the clerk.

Highlands County Teen Court is administered through the State Attorney's Office, the Public Defender's Officer, local law enforcement agencies, the School Board of Highlands County and the Department of Juvenile Justice

The concept for Teen Court was developed in Texas, and was first adopted in Florida at the Manatee County Courthouse in 1991.

If a defendant fails to complete his or her sentence, the case is returned to the Juvenile Court for prosecution.