Williamson County soon starting another year of Teen Court program

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- Williamson County is starting another year of the YMCA Teen Court program this weekend.

The Twin Lakes YMCA is hosting the annual Teen Court Orientation this Saturday. Teenagers between the ages of 13-17 are invited to attend. They'll be taught the roles of attorney, judge, juror and bailiff.

The orientation will be in the Magee Dining hall located at 204 E. Little Elm Trail, Cedar Park, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Judge Angela Williams, Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace, and Judge Edna Staudt, founder of the Williamson County YMCA Teen Court, will be joined by volunteer attorneys to lead the orientation. Lunch, drinks and t-shirts will be provided by the YMCA. The dress code is casual but modest.

Parents are required to complete registration forms before they leave the site. Anyone with questions or who need further details and registration forms can contact Katie Carrillo, Juvenile Case Manager for Judge Angela Williams, at (512) 260-4210.

The YMCA Teen Court Program is an annual program in which student volunteers hear and judge actual juvenile misdemeanor sentencing trials and fill all the roles in the courtroom from judge to jury, according to Williamson County's website.

The program gives teens "the opportunity to contribute to their community and experience the practice of law firsthand. Along the way they learn valuable listening and public speaking skills and practice courtroom etiquette, which helps grow them into leaders among their peers," the website said.

The Teen Court was established in 1996 by Edna Staudt. Williams took the program over when she took the bench in 2023.

According to the Williamson County website, the Williamson County YMCA Teen Court is a partnership between Justice Court Precinct 2 and the Twin Lakes Family YMCA. The YMCA provides additional staffing and resources such as pizza, t-shirts, training manuals and a facility for the fall orientation among other things. The program depends heavily on the support of volunteer parents, attorneys and law enforcement officers who volunteer their time and expertise.

Those interested can read more about the program online. The Teen Court Program schedule is detailed below.

Teen Court Sessions

• Date: Training sessions and Court are held twice monthly (calendar below).
• Time: All Court and training sessions will run from 6:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. Staff should arrive between 6 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. on court nights.
• Location: The Justice Court Courtroom of the Williamson County Annex located at 350 Discovery Boulevard, Ste. 204, in Cedar Park.
• For More Information: Please contact Program Director Katie 512-260-4238.

Teen Court Orientation

Saturday, Aug. 24
9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Dining Hall (Magee Family Lodge) 204 E Little Elm Trail, Cedar Park, TX 78613
Lunch will be served.

Fall Schedule

• August 24, 2024: Orientation at YMCA
• September 9, 2024: Training/auditions
• September 30, 2024: Court 
• October 7, 2024: Training
• October 21, 2024: Court
• November 4, 2024: Court
• November 18, 2024: Court
• December 2, 2024: Court
• December 9, 2024: Court

From 6:30 pm to 8:45 pm at:
Williamson County Annex JP2 Courtroom at 350 Discovery Blvd., Cedar Park, TX 78613