YLD TO SPONSER MARDI GRAS RENDEZVOUS

The OBA/YLD  has agreed to help sponsor the Tulsa County Bar Association Young Lawyers’ fifth annual Mardi Gras Party.  This event is being held at the Mayo Building in downtown Tulsa on Fat Tuesday, Feb. 5 at 6:30 p.m.  Five-star Creole and Cajun chef Lanney Aund’re will be serving a buffet of traditional fare.  There will also be a full cash bar and live music.  Door prizes will be distributed.  Tickets are $18.  Money raised by ticket sales will be used to support the Parkside Psychiatric Hospital’s food pantry program.  If you are interested in attending, contact Adam Marshall at marshall@bggg.com or (918) 584-1600, or Melissa Holderby mholderby@robinettmurphy.com or (918) 592-3699 for more information.

DELAWARE COUNTY TEEN COURT GOING STRONG WITH HELP FROM THE YLD

After 12 years of success, the Delaware County Teen Court program continues to give teenagers a firsthand look at the Oklahoma justice system.  Each year, students from Grove, Jay and Ketchum high schools in Delaware County receive approximately eight hours of courtroom procedure training, pass a comprehensive test and then are sworn in as new members of the Delaware County Teen Court program.

Once sworn in, the new student members, along with veteran Teen Court members and with assistance from two volunteer attorneys from the community, meet monthly to conduct court, disposing of numerous minor charges (traffic tickets, minor in possession of tobacco or beer, shoplifting and vandalism) against teens under the age of 18.  The roles of defense attorney, prosecuting attorney, judge and court clerk are filled by Teen Court members.  Through their respective roles, the Teen Court members fulfill various functions of the court including meeting with the defendant, entering a plea of guilty or not guilty, conducting a sentencing hearing or trial and carrying out the court’s sentence. 

In addition to gaining invaluable experience and insight into the functions of the judicial system, Teen Court members can earn community service credits on their high school transcript for scholarship eligibility purposes.

Juvenile defendants may voluntarily participate in the Teen Court program.  Defendants benefit from being tried in Teen Court because it keeps the matter off their record if they are found guilty.

However, defendants found to be guilty of the charges against them can be ordered to serve up to 50 hours of community service per charge, pay restitution and/or write a letter of apology where appropriate.  Additionally, a defendant may be ordered to attend the first offenders program – a six-week program requiring attendance by the teen and a parent and designed to divert teens from criminal behavior.

The Delaware County Teen Court program was started in 1995.  It operates as a branch of the Explorer Scout Program and is sponsored by the Grove Kiwanis Club.  Its continued operation and success can be attributed in large part to the untiring efforts and support of Delaware County Associate District Judge Barry V. Denny as well as those of the program’s teacher sponsors, Linda Fracek (Grove High School) and Ruth Cartagenanutter (Jay High School).

The Young Lawyers Division has supported the Delaware County Teen Court program over the last several years through the efforts of the young lawyers volunteering their time to assist with the court functions and through monetary contributions.  Funds provided by the Young Lawyers Division ensure that students wishing to participate in the program can do so without cost.  Those funds also help the Delaware County Teen Court program to sponsor additional activities for its teen members, including a field trip to a team-building exercise and ropes course at the start of each year.