Law Day Focuses on Bullying Trial

Feb. 14, 2012 ~ The Seventh Annual Olathe Youth Court Law Day at Olathe Northwest High School gave every Olathe School District sixth-grader a look at Olathe Youth Court in action.

After deliberating on a case that involved bullying, the students in the audience were able to ask an abundance of questions to the Youth Court officers, many of whom have been involved with the program for several years.

Olathe Youth Court is an alternative to District Court for first-time offenders of minor offenses such as: battery, criminal trespass, criminal damage to property, disorderly conduct, and theft. The jurisdiction of and referrals to Olathe Youth Court are within the discretion of the Johnson County Office of the District Attorney. Olathe Youth Court is voluntary, and student defendants who complete all Olathe Youth Court requirements have no formal criminal record.

The four Law Day sessions on Jan. 31 each included a snippet of a trial that was based on a real-life Youth Court case. About 10 students from each middle school were selected to be part of the jury during each of the four sessions. And, students were able to determine the most appropriate sanctions for each defendant.

"The officers hope this annual event will continue to encourage other students to get involved once they realize just how beneficial this program is to our school district and community," Facilitator of Student Development Jennifer Bodenmiller said. "The Youth Court officers are thrilled with the positive feedback they are receiving and have already started to think about ideas for next year."

At the end of the session, students who had interest in being a juror in Olathe Youth Court were encouraged to come to the Johnson County Courthouse at 6 p.m. on the last Thursday of the month. There is no sign-up needed, just an interest in volunteering and getting involved in the process.

According to organizers, there has been a lot of new interest in the program.

"Several staff members from across the district are sending requests for more information about the program and confirming the subject matter (bullying) was a fantastic case to hear during the Law Day presentation," Bodenmiller said.

Officers of the court introduced themselves and were surprised by the cheers they received from fellow students at their home schools.
A large pool of jurors was sworn in before the four Law Day sessions began.
Large signs helped identify key participants in Olathe Youth Court sessions. Photos by Ann Kohn