DeVoe Law Receives Service Award
I am pleased to have received the community service award from The Florida Supreme Court and The Florida Bar for 2013. I participate in Teen Court which is a diversion program offered in juvenile court. Children who are accused of minor crimes by the State Attorney’s Office may be referred to this program if they meet the eligibility criteria. Qualifying cases are taken off the trial docket and are resolved outside the normal judicial process. Children in these cases go through a trial that is conducted by their peers. The children must comply with any sanctions that are imposed, which often include community service and participation in various interventions. Participating children are obligated to serve in a jury in future teen court cases and pass sentence on their peer defendants. The State Attorney will dismiss the juvenile delinquency cases for children who successfully complete the program and the juvenile records stay clean. The program is credited with substantially reducing recidivism and has been a huge success in Orange County.
