Broward Public Defender’s office gives 35 teens courtroom access
Thirty-five Broward teens were chosen from more than 160 applicants for a two-week courtroom immersion. They shadowed lawyers, toured the jail and crime lab, and staged a mock trial.
Thirty-five Broward high school students spent two weeks inside the county’s criminal justice system after the Public Defender’s Office chose them from more than 160 applicants for its Summer Justice Internship Program. The 2026 session ran June 15 to June 26, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and placed the students inside a courtroom at the Broward County Judicial Complex in Fort Lauderdale.
Students shadowed attorneys, observed court proceedings, joined interactive question-and-answer sessions and heard from judges, public defenders, law enforcement officers, forensic scientists, medical examiners, bailiffs and court reporters. The program also included specialized presentations from Crime Scene Investigators and a mock trial.
Participants also toured the Broward County Crime Lab and the Broward Sheriff’s Office Main Jail. The crime lab is Broward County’s only full-service, internationally accredited forensic laboratory, serving more than 2 million residents with 60 professionals.
The Public Defender’s Office created the high school version of the internship because its traditional programs were designed mainly for college and law school students. A 2024 application packet said the office could accommodate 30 interns that year. The Public Defender’s Office has run the summer justice effort for more than 20 years.
The office is led by Gordon Weekes, who was sworn in on January 2, 2021, as Broward County’s Public Defender after becoming the first person of color elected to the office in Florida. The Law Office of the Public Defender’s mission is to protect and defend the rights of indigent clients facing loss of liberty. Training Division Chief Assistant Public Defender John James said the office wants students to see the different parts of the system so they can figure out which career path fits them best. Student Amanda Chen said the experience pushed her out of her comfort zone and let her hear directly from judges in the courtroom. Broward County’s Volunteer Internship Program gives students insight into county government and prepares them for careers in public service.
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