Tulsa, OK

You may have heard the phrase “order in the court,” but what about “honor in the court?” Yes, judges are referred to as “your honor,” but a new youth program provides high school honor students a chance to sit next to the judge for a day in court.

This mentoring program is designed to educate the youth leadership of tomorrow by providing first-hand observation of actual court cases from a unique perspective.

Sanctioned by Tulsa Public Schools and the City of Tulsa Municipal Courts, honor students from various high schools will get the chance to spend a full day in court with the presiding judge. The unique perspective is that each honor student will sit at the bench next to the judge for a view rarely granted to any outside the judiciary.

The program officially started in April of this year. To qualify, interested students need to submit a resume, as well as a 500 word essay on the Judicial System to their school faculty representative. The students will be selected by a process of interviews by the faculty. The program is limited at this time to high school seniors.

At the end of each semester, those students who were not chosen or selected for the highest honor of sitting with the presiding judge will still be invited to observe court proceedings from the jury box. In addition to this, the court will provide a ‘working lunch’ for the students and involve the students in aspects of the days’ proceedings.

These proceedings may include initial arraignments, pre-trial conferences, dispositions, jail defendant arraignments, evidentiary motions and non-jury trials. No aspect of the court’s daily business will be kept hidden from the students. The goal is to illuminate interested honor students with a rare behind-the-scene experience in the justice system. As aspiring attorneys and judges gain experience in high school, they will have the information to make wise career choices and someday take their experience to the courtroom.