Mecklenburg County Teen Court
P.O. Box 471112
Charlotte, NC 28247-1112
704•525•5204
teencourt@lucarolinas.org
Teens Helping Teens
Collaborating Agencies
Mecklenburg County
Law Enforcement Agencies
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Charlotte Law Firms
NC Department of Public Safety,
Juvenile Justice
District Attorney’s Office
District Court Judges
Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office
Funding
Mecklenburg County Teen Court is a
philanthropic program which is fully
funded and administered by Lift Up
Carolinas.
All funds for this program are raised
through the efforts of member volunteers
of Lift Up Carolinas through its thrift
shop at 5426 Old Pineville Road and the
generous support of grants, corporate
donations and private funding.
Confidentiality
All participants in Mecklenburg County
Teen Court are required to honor the
confidentiality of Teen Court proceedings,
including the names and identities of the
Juveniles referred to the court.
What is the
Teen Court
Volunteer Program?
Volunteer teens in the eighth grade
through high school graduation may serve
in Mecklenburg County Teen Court.
• Parental permission must be obtained
before volunteering.
• Teen volunteers must successfully
complete a training program designed to
teach them about the law, the Teen Court
process, and communication skills.
• Teen volunteers may perform the roles of
jurors, clerks, bailiffs, defense attorneys
and prosecutors.
• Community service hours are earned
through participation. Eligible teens
may apply for Recognition Awards
which are selected based on their
service and positive impact upon this
program.
Mecklenburg
County
Teen Court
a philanthropic program of
liftupcarolinas.org
What is Teen Court?
Mecklenburg County Teen Court is an
alternative justice system for juveniles
aged 12 through 17 with no previous
delinquent adjudications. Teen Court
offers these Juveniles an opportunity
to learn from their mistakes. Successful
program completion allows the offender
to avoid being processed further in the
juvenile court system. This juvenile-
based justice system places strong
emphasis on accountability, positive peer
influence and youth empowerment and
involvement. Teens, both volunteers and
Juveniles, serve together on juries to reach
constructive sentences.
Who is Eligible?
An appropriate referral is a Juvenile:
• age 12–17 with no previous convictions;
• who commits a misdemeanor offense;
• and voluntarily accepts responsibility
for his/her offense and agrees to the
Teen Court alternative;
• has a parent or guardian who agrees to
support the youth’s participation in the
program.
How Does it Work?
• Referrals are received by the Teen
Court administrator. If the case is
appropriate, the Juvenile and family will
be contacted to begin the process.
• The Juvenile, along with parent or
guardian, will be interviewed. To
participate in the program, the youth
must accept responsibility for his/her
involvement in the offense.
• The Juvenile will appear in court before
an adult judge and a jury of peers.
Court sessions are from 5:00—8:15 p.m.
• The jury will deliberate a constructive
sentence, including community service
hours and participation on Teen Court
juries. Creative sentences may include
but are not limited to letters of apology,
Stop & Think classes, targeted essays,
and interviews with law enforcement.
• Completion of the
sentence in 60-90
days is monitored
by the Teen
Court Program
Administrator.
Successful
completion
results in closure
of the case by the
referring agency
and no further
court action.
Who Refers Cases?
• Law enforcement agencies in
Mecklenburg County
• NCDPS, Juvenile Justice
• CMS Police Department
What are the Benefits?
• Juveniles, as well as volunteer teens,
learn to take responsibility for their
actions.
• Upon completion of Teen Court, the
Juvenile’s case is closed with no further
legal action.
• Teen volunteers and Juveniles have an
opportunity to learn good citizenship
through the experience of community
service.
• Teens gain understanding by
participating in the judicial process.
• The likelihood of future delinquent
behavior is reduced.
• Teens are helping teens—through
positive peer influence, accountability
and empowerment to effect change
within their own generation.