December 5, 2022 at 11:40 a.m.
Teen Court panelists learn from sitting judge
Teen Court panelists learn from sitting judge
By River News Staff-
The current roster of Teen Court panelists made a special trip to the courthouse in Rhinelander in late November to meet with Judge Mary Burns in her chambers and watch some court proceedings for adults who were recently arrested, according to a press release issued by Sharon Krause, Community Youth Development Educator for UW-Extension and coordinator of Teen Court.
"Judge Burns talked about her journey to becoming a lawyer and judge, and also informed students about other careers in law," Krause said. "Rural areas lack lawyers, especially public defendants, so the panelists were urged to consider going to law school and moving back to the area. Judge Burns also showed the students the technology used in court cases, including the data she receives about each case. Afterward, the Teen Court panelists observed toured the judge's bench and watched court proceedings from the jury box."
Rhinelander High School sophomores Kate Ripple and Brody Kowieski said the trip was informative.
"I thought it was interesting to learn about some of the processes used in court and about what a judge considers when making a decision," Ripple said.
"It was interesting to learn the differences between teen court and the standard judicial system," Kowieski noted. "Further, learning and observing the setting of bail was positive for my knowledge of the court system."
Ella Bostwick, a junior who attends Rural Virtual Academy, also enjoyed the experience.
"Our visit to the courthouse allowed me more practical experience and understanding of courts processes," Bostwick said. "Judge Burns is a very intelligent lady and I especially enjoyed learning of her experience in working towards being a judge and learning the specific terms and processes in day-to-day work in law."
"Teen Court is not a club," Krause stresses. "Panelists do real-life work that impacts families and communities, and typically don't get much recognition for their service. My goal is to enrich the program with events like these, partly as a reward, but also to widen their horizons and help them learn more about the judicial system. I appreciate Judge Burns making time to meet with the students, and we plan to bring them back to observe other kinds of court proceedings."
Panelists from Lakeland Union High School are looking forward to participating in a similar trip soon, the release notes.
For more information about Oneida County Teen Court, contact Krause at [email protected] or go to the Extension website, oneida.extension.wisc.edu, https://oneida.extension.wisc.edu/positive-youth-development/teencourt/.
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