JUVENILE JUSTICE CLINIC This program offers litigation experience while exposing students to the operations of the juvenile justice system, by placing them as student attorneys with the Travis County Juvenile Public Defender. Clients are indigent juveniles, aged 10 to 17, who are charged with criminal offenses ranging from Class B misdemeanors to first degree felonies. Student attorneys are assigned a caseload (four open cases at all times and approximately 8-10 cases per semester) for which they have primary responsibility under the supervision of an attorney in the public defender's office. The student attorneys perform all investigation, interview, discovery, plea bargain and litigation functions on their cases.
Student attorneys are required to have at least one morning each week (Monday through Thursday) when they are available to be in court to handle their plea adjudications/dispositions. Contested hearings are usually scheduled for the afternoon on the student attorney’s designated court day but varies according to the assigned judge's schedule. Students may be in court on other days but should have the opportunity to make specific requests or plan for the setting. The more flexible the student's schedule is the more opportunity for handling a variety of cases within the court’s scheduling of cases. In most instances, student attorneys will be in court approximately one day per week and be finished by 12:00 p.m. on their designated court day. Thursday is a popular court day for student attorneys; however, please be aware that there are a limited number of students who can be assigned a Thursday court day. Please take this into account when scheduling other classes and contact me if you have questions about your schedule. Approximately 15 plus hours per week will be required for working cases and for participating in the classroom component. The class meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Each student will complete a mock hearing exercise that is recorded and held in the Eidman Courtroom. The exercise teaches the student to prepare for argument and examination of witnesses in the context of a hearing to suppress illegally seized evidence. The mock hearing occurs outside of the regular class meeting. Each Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Travis County Juvenile Court holds detention hearings to determine if juveniles who are being detained should be released. A public defender is present to provide representation for each juvenile who has a hearing that day. Student attorneys will each take responsibility as the public defender for three days of the semester. This teaches students to handle a large caseload in a very short time, and to think and act quickly. During the first month of the semester, the class has meetings on Fridays for tours usually between 11-1. The class travels outside of Austin to tour a Texas Juvenile Justice Department facility and meets with juveniles who have been sentenced to TJJD (this is usually 8-3 on a Friday). Additionally, the class adopts a local middle school at the end of the semester and speaks to seventh grade students about constitutional rights/protections and the consequences of violating the law. All credit is awarded on the pass/fail basis (six hours). The Clinic is open to students who have completed their first two semesters.
The Juvenile Justice Clinic provides a meaningful opportunity for students to learn juvenile law, interact with clients, advocate for your clients in court proceedings, and participate in educating children about the law. Please feel free to contact the professor if you have any questions. Pam Sigman, Director 512-619-3222
Sigman, Pamela J 