Peer Court

Peer Court is a unique juvenile crime diversion program that offers both a second chance to first-time juvenile offenders who have committed non-violent misdemeanors and a valuable educational experience to all high school students in Orange County. Peer Court sessions are held on school campuses across Orange County. Sitting judges preside, attorneys advise, and high school students designated as “jurors” assess the cases presented and assign appropriate sanctions. Students in the audience observe and participate in an interactive curriculum, learning about the juvenile justice system and the importance of making responsible decisions.

Virtual Peer Court

Due the ongoing COVID restrictions, CRF-OC will be hosting Virtual Peer Court sessions. The sessions are open to all Orange County high school students. In order to be eligible to serve as a juror, students must first complete a 1-hour virtual training. In the below link, there are dates of our upcoming trainings. Once a student has completed the training, they will be on a list of eligible jurors. When a Virtual Peer Court session is scheduled, we will inform the trained jurors on how they can register to serve on the jury.

If your school is interested in participating in the Peer Court or if you are interested in upcoming Juror Training Sessions, please contact Constitutional Rights Foundation at https://www.crfoc.org/programs/peer-court/