(Annapolis, Md. — Oct.26, 2009) Almost 100 county teens will crowd the courtroom of the Anne Arundel County District Court in Annapolis on Thursday, Nov. 12. They will appear before Judge Danielle M. Mosley – not with their attorneys, but with their teachers – and they will learn, first-hand, about the consequences of making bad decisions.

This up-close view of the state’s justice system in action is part of the biannual Schools in the Court program, which will be held on Nov. 12, 9-11:30, at the Anne Arundel County District Court, 251 Rowe Boulevard, Annapolis. Students from Annapolis, South River and Southern high schools will sit in on actual criminal cases in the courtroom of Judge Mosley, who leads the program.

“This is a normal day in court, and the students will see defendants who are many times not much older than themselves,” Judge Mosley said. “We want the students to learn how the court system works but, perhaps more importantly, we want them to understand how making wrong choices about things such as speeding, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, drug use, and other crimes can deeply and adversely impact their lives.”

In addition to watching actual criminal cases, the students will hear from victims and people who have been convicted of drinking and driving. They will learn about the legal and financial consequences of being charged with drunk driving, and meet with a representative from Maryland’s Shock Trauma Center.

“We bring students to court for a day to try to prevent them from ever appearing before us as defendants,” said Judge Mosley.

The Anne Arundel County District Court holds Schools in the Court twice each year. The program was started in 2001 by Anne Arundel County District Judge Vincent Mulieri, who retired after hosting 10 sessions of the unique program.

The Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) Board of Education will tape the program to air on AACPS’s cable television channel. Broadcast times will be posted at www.aacps.org. Student transportation for the event is provided by a grant from the Anne Arundel County Partnership for Children, Youth and Families.