HIGHLIGHT CORNER
HIGHLIGHT CORNER
NATALIE I. LANZ |
JUSTIN L. VIRZI |
CARTER J. LEWIS |
Court is Back in Session: Palm Beach County Youth Court Gives Students a Role in Second Chances( Continued) |
From the media center to the courtroom
The September training introduced the next group of students who will take on Youth Court ' s courtroom roles.
Students learned courtroom procedure, the responsibilities of prosecution and defense counsel, and how to deliver opening statements, question witnesses and make closing arguments. They also observed a Youth Court session, seeing those lessons put into practice. In a full-circle moment, attorney mentors who had participated in Youth Court as students shared their experiences, returning as lawyers to guide the next generation of student advocates.
" For more than twenty-five years, Youth Court has been one of the great privileges of my professional life. Since 1998 I have served as a volunteer judge, attorney advisor, and mentor, and in that time I have watched middle and high school students step into the roles of attorney, clerk, deputy, and juror. They arrive nervous and leave composed. The maturity and command of the law they bring to that courtroom is something our profession should take note of."- Jean Marie Middleton.
A student attorney must consider how to advocate effectively. A juror must weigh accountability alongside the opportunity for a fresh start. A deputy must help keep the courtroom orderly. Each role asks students to take the process and one another seriously.
“ Serving as a student attorney in Youth Court in 2010 – 11 was one of the best experiences of my high school years and helped confirm that I wanted to become a trial attorney. Its student-driven approach gives high school students meaningful responsibility, and the ability to make an impact in their community. Returning as an attorney mentor is especially rewarding because I know firsthand the impact this program can have.” – Carter Lewis Jr.
A place for the legal community
Attorneys do not have to wait for a future law school graduation to help these students develop their courtroom skills. Youth Court offers the chance to mentor them now. Volunteer attorneys work alongside the student teams, helping them prepare questions, sharpen their arguments and think through the sanctions they will recommend.
Hearings run from 5:00 p. m. to 7:00 p. m. on the first Thursday of each month at the Gun Club Courthouse, Courtroom 2, 3228 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach. The remaining sessions this school year are Jan. 7, Feb. 4, March 4, April 1, and May 6, 2027.
Volunteer attorneys may also qualify for pro bono CLE credit under Rule 6-10.3( h) of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar. Credit is awarded at one General CLE hour for each hour of qualifying service, up to five( 5) hours per three( 3) year reporting cycle. Attorneys request the credit individually through The Florida Bar.
For the young people appearing before Youth Court, the program offers a chance to take responsibility and move forward. For the students behind counsel table and in the jury box, it offers a chance to discover what they can do.
For Palm Beach County ' s legal community, it is an invitation to help shape both.
Attorneys interested in volunteering may contact Justin L. Virzi at jvirzi. law @ gmail. com.
Natalie I. Lanz is an attorney with Searcy Law in West Palm Beach. Justin L. Virzi and Carter J. Lewis are attorneys with Kubicki Draper in West Palm Beach.
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PBCBA BAR BULLETIN 18