Who We Are
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.
What We Do
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.
**July 2025 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.
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
Joining the Juror Pool: The Juror Pool is currently at capacity. 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.
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
How to Apply: The attorney application opens annually each February. 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.
Helpful 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 the email address volunteersinplano@plano.gov. 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.
