Teen drivers in Seattle who admit to committing a traffic offense can now have their punishment decided by a a group of their peers, instead of a judge, thanks?to?a brand-new?Youth Traffic Court (an alliance among? Seattle Municipal Court, Seattle University School of Law, and Garfield High School.)
Youth Traffic Court allows?eligible teen drivers to appear before Garfield High School?students at Seattle University School of Law, rather than in Municipal Court.? The first cases?will ?be heard this month. Margaret Fisher, a Distinguished Practitioner in Residence at Seattle University School of Law and a national expert in youth courts,?is?overseeing the law school?s involvement.? She says:
?Youth courts provide an opportunity for teens to take? responsibility for their driving mistakes, while keeping their driving record clean.?
Here’s how it will work, according to the press release:
Qualified defendants will appear before the Youth Court,? receive a sanction of community service, youth court jury service, preventative? education and/or similar consequences.? If?they?comply, the infraction will be dismissed and it will not be reported to? the Department of Licensing or appear on the defendants? driving record. Garfield High School students will serve as judges, jurors,? prosecutors and defense attorneys and court staff.?? They will be trained and supported by? volunteer law students from Seattle University School of Law.? The high school students will take part in an? intensive training before the first hearing and will meet with their law school? mentors regularly. ?Youth court provides a meaningful civic? opportunity for students, who will have the responsibility of deciding real? cases,? said Judge Karen Donohue.
Seattle’s Youth Traffic Court was made?possible, in part, by a grant from the Seattle City Council. For more information, please contact Professor Margaret Fisher at fisherm2@seattleu.edu.