WASHINGTON STATE ASSOCIATION OF YOUTH COURTS

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A Decade Plus of Seattle Youth Traffic Court  by  Seattle Municipal Court  on  October 22, 2024 In an era with civics education on the decline, one important annual program at Seattle Municipal Court (SMC) is introducing Garfield High School (GHS) students to the judicial process through Seattle Youth Traffic Court (SYTC).  Youth courts take place nationwide and are primarily made up of volunteer middle and high school students with an interest in government. According to  The Nation , there are approximately 1,400 teen courts in the U.S. that allow teens to be defended, prosecuted and sentenced by their peers.  Garfield High School students getting sworn into their duties at Seattle Youth Traffic Court. On Oct. 21, about 25 students from GHS were officially sworn in to begin their (school-) year-long duties at SYTC. By statute, youth courts in courts of limited jurisdiction can handle civil infractions committed by individuals under 18. In fact, SMC h...

 

 

 2 0 2 4 C O N F E R E N C E - I N - P E R S O N Washington State Association of Youth Courts March 2nd, 2024 Contact: Margaret Fisher Seattle University School of Law (206) 501 - 7963 | fisherm2@seattleu.edu Saturday March 2nd, 2024 9am-3:30pm Seattle University School of Law 901 12th Ave. Seattle, WA   2 0 2 4 C O N F E R E N C E - I N - P E R S O N  Contact: Margaret Fisher Seattle University School of Law (206) 501 - 7963 | fisherm2@seattleu.edu Restorative Justice Skill Development Conference Registration Deadline February 23, 2024*  Presented By: Washington State Association of Youth Courts Washington State Judges Association Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts 

                      In-person Conference March 25, 2023 Location: Seattle University School of Law 901 12 th Avenue - Seattle, WA  98122 Contact: Margaret Fisher   (206) 501-7963   fisherm2@seattleu.edu

Stay tuned for more information on the 2023 WSAYC conference.    March 25, 2023 Seattle University School of Law! 

 Washington State Association of Youth Courts will be holding a virtual conference on November 6th, 2021.  Stay tuned for registration details.

WSAYC Annual Conference was held October 24. Students, adult leaders and entities interested in starting new youth courts in their communities took part in the virtual conference. Guest Speakers included: Keynote Speaker-Kitira Johnson is founder and CEO of Kitara Johnson LLC, a training and consultant company. She currently serves as the Chief Diversity Officer at Excelsior Wellness in Spokane, WA.  She serves on the Washington State Supreme Court Minority and Justice Commission and under the commission organizes the Spokane Youth and Justice forum. A reformed gang leader from the southside of Chicago, featured on CNN and Netflix, Kitara has a passion for youth, unity and justice. Officer JD Elliott, serves on the Seattle Police Department and will share his inspirational story and perspective serving as a Police Officer in the current cultural climate in America Workshops included: Anti-Racism Application in your court New Youth Court Legislation presented by Courtney Whitten - A...

Hello Fellow Youth Court Managers, Administrators, and partners: Here we are at the beginning of another school year and the beginning of the 2020-2021 Youth Court Session. It is also nearly time for the WSAYC annual Fall Conference and the reason for this email.   You are invited  to join us for the  WSAYC Fall Conference  to be held  Saturday, October 24, 2020 . The conference was recently moved to an  online format .  Please SAVE THE DATE!   The Committee has an engaging and exciting set of speakers and activities designed to improve your youth court skills and experience. The conference will also be a good opportunity for those wanting to start a new youth court to connect with people and resources to help them get started.   Registration details and more information will soon follow.   Thank you for your patience as we work out the final details. We look forward to seeing you online Saturday, October 24 th !     Terri Coop...

WSAYC held it's annual conference November 2nd at Seattle University Law School.  During the  conference new board members were elected.  Judge Jennifer Cruz was elected to the Vice-President position and students Ethan Coyle (new student president) and Nigel Naylor (new student vice-president) were welcomed to the board.  Gen Sakura stepped down as incoming student president as he is currently enrolled at the University of Washington (Engineering program) and was promoted to a special advisory role on the board. Whatcom Youth Court reported the retirement of Cathy Beaty who served as coordinator for the court for over 20 years. Her absence will certainly be missed. Whatcom Youth Court currently has over 100 student volunteers that serve on the diversion based court and is in the process of restructuring the student advisory board and the types of cases that can be heard. Cheney Youth Court reports an upcoming New Youth Court Start Up Conference to be held at Gon...

The Washington Judges Foundation announced today that they have awarded WSAYC funding for their upcoming annual conference in the amount of $2700.  These funds support WSAYC providing a free state-wide conference for youth, court coordinators, newly developing youth courts and parties interested in starting a youth court.  We greatly appreciate the continued support from the Washington Judges Foundation.

Register now for the upcoming Washington State Association of Youth Courts Annual Conference. This is a free conference for youth/adults/new or organizing youth court staff - November 2nd, 2019.  Seattle University School of Law 10-3:30pm Please contact:  Margaret Fisher:  margaret.fisher@courts.wa.gov for registration information.

Youth court will address traffic infractions given to 16 and 17 year olds.  by Ashley Hiruko Redmond Reporter Thursday, April 11, 2019 1:42pm It was the Michael Connelly books his grandfather gave him that first created 17-year-old Bouke Spoelstra’s interest in law. Among those shared was “The Lincoln Lawyer.” It tells the story of a Los Angeles lawyer who practiced out of his Lincoln Town Car. But it was his active participation in a youth court in Bothell that deepened Spoelstra’s infatuation with law, he said. And ultimately these pieces led to Spoelstra pushing for Redmond to start its own youth court program. “I think a lot of the time, teenagers especially can perceive the judicial system in a way that it’s simply dishing out punishments that are sometimes negotiable but never avoidable, simply trying to hurt them,” Spoelstra said. “Obviously we know better…that there’s more to that story. And youth court is a way we can communicate that.” Both...

Seattle Youth Traffic Court students met at Seattle University for an hour presentation on preparing to ask better questions and to consider more options for youth court traffic court dispositions.  Trainers from Sacramento, California provided valuable information through their presentation.

Cheney Youth Court - "We have recruited pre-law students from University of Washington and other entities to help train our student with opening, closing and questioning". Terri Cooper - Coordinator Shoreline Youth Court - "We are excited to have doubled the number of jurors serving on our youth court this year".  Youth Court Student Bellevue Youth Court - "This year we have been able to broaden the scope of the types of cases that we hear". Youth Court Student Redmond Youth Court - "We are organizing and starting a new youth court this year". Youth Court Student Whatcom Youth Court - "This year we have increased the number of high schools participating in youth court from 6 to 8".  Youth Court Student Seattle Youth Court - "This past January several of our youth court students participated in the Civics Summit at the Weston Hotel with guest speaker Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor".  Margaret Fisher - Coordinat...

Register now for the upcoming Washington State Association of Youth Courts Annual Conference. This is a free conference for youth/adults/new or organizing youth court staff - October 20th, 2018.  Seattle University School of Law 10-3:30pm Please contact:  Margaret Fisher:  margaret.fisher@courts.wa.gov for registration information.

Executive Board Annual Retreat at Seattle University School of Law

Youth court aims to educate teens about traffic violations The ticket is not reported to the Department of Licensing, and there are no insurance ramifications.  By Lizz Giordano Everett Herald Wednesday, May 30, 2018 6:18am Julia Kozak questions a fellow high school student during a hearing in Bothell Youth Court. (Lizz Giordano / The Herald) BOTHELL —Judge Michelle Gehlsen has just a few minutes to emphasize the importance of safe driving skills to teenagers appearing before her with traffic violations. “Usually the parent just pays the ticket, but how does that change behavior? What did they learn?” said Gehlsen, who works in Bothell Municipal Court. “I didn’t have time to really educate.” Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rather than just paying a fine, Gehlsen wanted a process that would allow offending teenagers time to reflect. That dilemma led her to establish the Bothell ...

South African students joined their peers at Seattle Youth Traffic Court and four had the chance to serve on the youth court juries. The students are from the Foundation for International Understanding Through Students, a Seattle-based nonprofit based at UW that hosts groups of visiting international students for short-term exchanges focused on civic engagement and community service.