Teen Court Program History

There are conflicting accounts of the beginning of TEEN COURT Programs. Some reports indicate the operation of a TEEN COURT Program in Horseheads, New York in 1968, and others indicate a program in Grand Prairie, Texas in 1976. However, the Odessa, Texas TEEN COURT Program, founded by Natalie Rothstein in the mid 1980's is the most widely known and is viewed by many to be a national model.

In 1992, the need for a program like TEEN COURT was recognized in Charlotte County. Judge W. Wayne Woodard with the cooperation of the Court Administrator of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit, local high school, law enforcement agencies, and other community leaders, introduced TEEN COURT to our community.

The number of TEEN COURT Programs is increasing rapidly as people realize the many benefits associated with these programs. There are now approximately 250 programs in 30 states and the District of Columbia.

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