The City of Plano Municipal Court offers a Teen Court option for juveniles 13 to 18 with Class C misdemeanors. Teen Court allows youth to pay for their citation through community service hours. To ensure youth are tried by a jury of their peers, teen jurors and attorneys assist with the Teen Court program. If you are a teen with a Class C Misdemeanor, click here to learn more about defendant eligibility.

Teen Court Volunteers

Under the supervision of an adult judge, teen jurors hear cases about youth Class C Misdemeanors and assign community service hours according to guidelines. Teen attorneys serves as defense or prosecuting counsel. Serving as a volunteer is an educational and rewarding opportunity. Teen Court is usually held twice a month on Monday evening.

**2026 Update**  The Teen Court Juror Pool is currently at capacity and cannot accept new volunteers at this time. If you wish to be notified via email when it reopens, please create an Volunteer Portal account using the I'm a Teen (13-17) application track. When you are prompted to select the program(s) you are interested in, make sure to check the Teen Court box. If you do not check the box, you will not be on the list to receive an invitation in the future.

FAQ:

I'm only available to volunteer for Plano Teen Court during the summer (June-August). Can I still apply? No, to be considered as a juror you must be available year around. This is not a summer-only option.

Juror Overview

Responsibilities

Assign (unanimously with the other teen justice members) the number of community service hours and any other reasonable conditions designed to hold the youth responsible for his/her actions.

Eligibility

• Be 14 - 18 years old
• Listen attentively and objectively
• Communicate, work in a group and maintain confidentiality
• Treat each case individually without prejudice

Applying to the Juror Pool

The Juror Pool is currently at capacity.  When openings arise, VIP contacts teens who have indicated an interest in Teen Court based on the order in which they applied. To indicate your interest, create an Volunteer Portal account using the I'm a Teen (13-17) application track. When you are prompted to select the program(s) you are interested in, make sure to check the Teen Court box.

Signup Instructions for Current Jurors

On the first weekday of each month at approximately 4:45 PM, shifts for the following month are posted online. You will need to login to your account to signup. Spots are filled first come, first serve. If spots are full, please add your name to the waitlist as additional volunteers will be assigned as needed. NOTE: Email signups are not accepted.

Teen Attorneys

Responsibilities

Represent the state's interest (prosecuting counsel) or the defendant (defense counsel) with an opening statement, direct examination, cross-examination and closing arguments.

Eligibility

• Be 15 - 18 years old
• Previous experience as a teen court juror
• Listen attentively and objectively
• Communicate, work in a group and maintain confidentiality
• Treat each case individually without prejudice

Attorney Applications

The attorney application for the May 2026 - June 2027 term is open until March 31st. Click here to learn more and apply. Interviews and training are held in April.

Commitment

Attorneys make a 12 month commitment from May of one year through May of the next year. They volunteer a minimum of once a month. Shifts are assigned by Ms. Martinez.

Tips for using the VIP Volunteer Portal

Account Creation

• Date of birth on account MUST BE the teen's date of birth
• Only 1 email address will receive automated notifications - make sure you use an email you check regularly
• An email address can only be associated with VIP Portal account - parents cannot create accounts for multiple children using the same email

Automated Notifications

Automated notifications are sent from [email protected]. Sometimes, these emails are sent to spam/junk folders. Please mark emails from this address as "not spam" and/or add it to your safe senders/contacts list. 

Volunteer Waiver

During account creation, you'll be asked to e-sign a Volunteer Waiver. If you are under 18, the waiver must be signed by you AND a parent/legal guardian. Minors are asked to enter their parent/legal guardian's name and email address. Once the minor signs, the parent/guardian will be sent an email with a link to e-sign. Please check spam/junk folders for this email. Parents/guardians do not need to create an account to sign.