MARYLAND YOUTH AND THE LAW INC

MOCK TRIAL: EACH YEAR, OVER 140 HIGH SCHOOLS REGISTER TO COMPETE IN THE STATEWIDE HIGH SCHOOL MOCK TRIAL COMPETITION. NEARLY 2,000 MARYLAND STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN CIVIL OR CRIMINAL TRIAL ENACTMENTS IN DISTRICT CIRCUIT COURTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. STUDENTS PORTRAY WITNESSES AND ATTORNEYS FOR THE PLAINTIFF (OR PROSECUTION) AND DEFENSE DURING THE COURSE OF THE COMPETITION SEASON.LOCAL COMPETITIONS ARE CONDUCTED WITHIN EIGHT JUDICIAL CIRCUITS, FOLLOWED BY REGIONAL, SEMI-FINAL AND STATE COMPETITIONS - THE LATTER OF WHICH TAKES PLACE IN OUR STATE'S HIGHEST COURT, THE MARYLAND COURT OF APPEALS. APPROXIMATELY 500 JUDGES AND ATTORNEYS VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME WITH MOCK TRIAL EACH YEAR. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1983, OVER 60,000 MARYLAND STUDENTS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN MOCK TRIAL. VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO READ MORE AND TO VIEW THE MOCK TRIAL CASE ARCHIVE.

BALTIMORE CITY TEEN COURT: BALTIMORE CITY TEEN COURT IS A VOLUNTARY ALTERNATIVE TO THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM FOR YOUTH OFFENDERS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 11-17, CHARGED WITH MINOR CRIMES. YOUTH ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM IF THEY ADMIT THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN THE OFFENSE AND HAVE FEWER THAN FOUR PRIOR ARRESTS.A TEEN COURT HEARING IS HELD TO DETERMINE APPROPRIATE SANCTIONS (NOT GUILT OR INNOCENCE) FOR THE YOUTH OFFENDER. THESE SANCTIONS INCLUDE SERVING ON TEEN COURT JURIES AND PERFORMING COMMUNITY SERVICE. TRAINED STUDENT VOLUNTEERS SERVE AS JURORS AND COURT OFFICERS, EARNING SERVICE LEARNING HOURS NECESSARY FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. ADULT VOLUNTEERS, INCLUDING ATTORNEYS, JUDGES, AND LAW SCHOOL STUDENTS, PRESIDE OVER THE HEARINGS. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1999, BALTIMORE CITY TEEN COURT HAS SERVED MORE THAN 1,800 YOUTH OFFENDERS, AND PROVIDED THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF COMMUNITY RESTITUTION WITHIN BALTIMORE CITY.