Media Advisory:
High School Students Get an Up-Close Look at Courtroom Proceedings

(ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Nov. 6, 2014) More than 100 county teens will appear together in court on Thursday, November 13. But instead of coming with their attorneys, the high school students will have their teachers by their sides as they learn firsthand about the consequences of making bad decisions. It is all part of the Anne Arundel County District Court’s Schools in the Court program. The media is invited to attend.

The students will watch actual criminal cases, learn about the legal and financial consequences of being charged with offenses such as drunk driving, and hear from people who have experienced the personal and life-changing effects of bad decisions. The students will also get a chance to meet members of the Maryland State Police K-9 squad.

“Students will see defendants who are not much older than the students themselves,” said Judge Shaem C.P. Spencer, who leads the program. “We want them to get an understanding of how the court system works, but we especially want them to understand how making wrong choices about things such as speeding, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, drug use and other crimes can deeply and adversely impact their lives.”

Students from Arundel and Old Mill high schools will be taking part in the November 13 program. The Anne Arundel County District Court holds the Schools in the Court twice each school year.

Student transportation for the event is provided by a grant from the Anne Arundel County Partnership for Children, Youth and Families.

WHAT:
Anne Arundel County District Court’s Schools in the Court program

WHEN:
Thursday, November 13, 8:30-11:30 a.m.

WHERE:
Courtroom 1, Anne Arundel County District Court, 251 Rowe Boulevard, Annapolis

WHO:
About 100 Anne Arundel County students from Arundel and Old Mill high schools. Anne Arundel County District Judge Shaem C.P. Spencer will preside.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Call the Maryland Judiciary Office of Communications and Public Affairs, 410-260-1488, if you want to attend or have questions, including when and where cameras will be allowed.

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