KIDS IN COURT
A partnership of CACCC and the Collin County District Attorney's Office
For the children and families we see, one of the more difficult parts of their journey is the trial. Some of the children we work with must testify in court as part of the criminal process of holding alleged offenders accountable. Court is a place most children and adults have only seen on television or in movies. It is often portrayed as dark and scary, where people are mean to you. Our Kids in Court Program is designed to bring some predictability of the court process in a fun, lighthearted way. We host the program quarterly at the courthouse where a volunteer judge, bailiff, court reporter, defense attorney, prosecutors, and jury, all join us.
Without discussing their case, we cover the court process and each volunteer explains their role. Children and their parents get a chance to ask lots of questions and learn the most important rule in court – to tell the truth. The highlight of the evening is when the children take the witness stand and answer questions about their favorite movie or cookie. Our goal is that after Kids in Court, these children feel more in control, and that they have the power, not the person who hurt them.