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Teen Court gets $11,680 check
Dan Eakin/Staff Photo - CoServ representatives on Monday presented an $11,680 check to the Collin County Commissioners Court, to be used in the Collin County Teen Court Program.
By Dan Eakin, deakin@starlocalnews.com
The Collin County Commissioners Court voted unanimously Monday night to accept an $11,680 check from the CoServ Charitable Foundation (CCF) for the Collin County Teen Court Program.
CoServ representatives made the presentation at a special meeting of the commissioners court at the new Wylie City Hall.
Dennis Engelke, CCF executive director, said the money will be used to provide ten $1,000 Teen Court scholarships, plus funds for supplies.
"The Teen Court Program provides an innovative approach to judicial resolution," Engelke said. "When warranted, impacted teens can be 'sentenced' to community service to resolve minor infractions of the law. They receive counseling and get a first-hand look at the judicial process."
Julie Monge, teen court coordinator, said, "Children and teenagers between the ages of 10 and 18 are brought before the teen court, made up of teenage jurors and sometimes defended by a teenager acting as a lawyer. Professional judges and lawyers and county staff members also volunteer their time to assist in the teen court program."
"We see all class C misdemeanors, from someone who failed to signal to someone accused of possession of drug paraphernalia," Monge said.
The misdemeanors are first brought before a real justice of the peace who may in turn refer the cases to the teen court, which meets five times a month.
Monge said one of the advantages of going before a teen court is that, if there are no further violations, the case does not go on permanent record.
The CCF is funded by CoServ employees' contributions through payroll deductions, office fundraisers and by employees turning in jury duty checks. A major golf tournament every June raises significant funds, and CoServ Electric members and CoServ Gas customers contribute to the Operation Roundup program by "rounding out their monthly bills."
"About 70 percent of CoServ members and customers participate, and the average contribution is about 50 cents per month, less than a movie ticket," Engelke said.
In other action at Monday's commissioners court meeting, the commissioners approved re-designating County Road 403 to Dowdy Road, and approved $50,000 for medical examiner's office expenditures.
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