News

Teens’ minor cases resolved in ‘restorative justice’

From left, defense attorney Diana Lopez, bailiff Lane Melton, clerk Madeline Evans and prosecutor Gabriella Leason try a case in Henderson County’s Teen Court. [MARY SHELTON/Special to the Lightning]

By Mary Shelton, Published: February 18, 2025

Thanks to an innovative new program, teenagers charged with misdemeanors in the Henderson County can avoid “juvie” and emerge with a clean record through a process driven by their peers.

In a Teen Court trial, teenage prosecutors and defense attorneys lead the questioning before a jury made up of teenage volunteers delivers a verdict, which must be approved by a judge.  

“We can work with them more than they can in court, and then what happens if they complete the program successfully, then that charge goes away,” says Ashley Osteen, criminal diversion coordinator at the Hope Coalition.

A non-profit focused on substance abuse recovery, the Hope Coalition introduced program the concept of the Teen Court in 2023 and with the help of the judicial system has gotten it off the ground.

Convening once a month, Teen Court is designed to keep middle and high school age students out of the juvenile justice system and free of a conviction that could wreck their plans for college or a career.

After the initial trial, the defendants are assigned community service hours. They will eventually return to Teen Court to serve as a jury member one to three times. When their sentence is fulfilled, the charge is expunged from their record.

The process cycles resolves cases faster — and cheaper — than the traditional legal system; by opting to participate in Teen Court, families don’t have to hire a lawyer or repeatedly go to the courthouse. Teen Court is able to close two cases a month. Organizers hope to expand the court soon.

“We would like to be able to take more students; we just don’t have the capacity currently,” Osteen says.

Aside from courtroom space, Teen Court needs many young-adult volunteers to operate properly. Roles of lawyers, jurors, bailiffs and clerks have to be filled each month by teenage volunteers. The experience exposes students to the legal process through a meaningful program within the county.

So far, Teen Court has seen resounding success. Ninety-five percent of defendants have completed the program and there have been no repeat offenders. It has been able to change the lives not only of defendants but also the volunteers.

“It teaches things like civics and giving back to the community,” Osteen says. “It’s really restorative justice and just a new way of looking at things.”

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As it continues to expand, Teen Court is looking for middle and high school volunteers to serve as jurors, attorneys and other participants. To learn more, contact Ashley Osteen teencourt@elementsofhope.org. Mary Shelton, a senior at Hendersonville High School and a reporting intern for the Lightning in the 2024-25 school year, participates in Teen Court as a defense attorney.