Thursday, May 2, 2024
Teen Court Judge and Justice of the Peace for Precinct 2 Martin Castillo, left, presided over his last teen court cases on Dec. 15. He received a plaque and certificate for his 12 years of service from Silver Barns, second from left, executive director of the Hood County Substance Abuse Council, Misty Sklark, HCSAC program director, second from right, and John Hosea, far right, the interim vice president of HCSAC.
Judge Martin Castillo, middle, poses with Teen Court jurors, prosecutors and defense lawyers, and several other individuals who have contributed to the Teen Court program over the years. Castillo presided over his last four Teen Court cases at the Hood County Justice Center on Dec. 15.
Martin Castillo, Hood County justice of the peace for Precinct 2, presided over his last four Teen Court cases at the Hood County Justice Center on Dec. 15.
Castillo — who has been “on the bench” for 17-and-a-half years — created the Teen Court program with Rodney Casey, the former director of United Way of Hood County, back in 2010-2011.
Teen Court provides an opportunity for Hood County students enrolled in school who have received their first Class C citation — speeding, running a red light or driver’s license violations — to attend a court hearing among their peers.
“The main purpose of Teen Court was to give students another option,” Castillo said. “Teen Court is for their first Class C offense, so that gives the students the option to come to court and not have the pressure of actually having the prosecutor or having adults all here like a regular court. It gives them an option to have a case dismissed against them so that way, it doesn't go against their record.”
Hood County debate team members serve as the prosecutor and defense attorneys for every case, while the jury is made up of the teen’s peers. Sentences include community service hours and a requirement to serve as a future juror.
“This gives the students the ability to come in here and be on the defendant side for tickets and then they actually have to come back as a juror and listen to somebody else's case, so they get the full aspect of what the court is,” Castillo said.
The JPs in each precinct take turns serving as judges for the Teen Court cases, while the constables rotate in serving as bailiffs and security.
"It's been a great thing with so many kids who have gone through here and so many that appreciate the program,” Castillo said.
He said when the program first began, a student on the debate team who was serving as a prosecutor for Teen Court ended up changing her career path.
"She was going to go into the medical field, either a vet or a doctor, but she was so good at being a prosecutor that she actually changed her career and decided to become an attorney,” Castillo said.
He said over the years, Teen Court has benefitted everyone who has ever been involved with the 12-year program.
“All the community service workers, everybody that volunteers their time, getting to know all these people and getting to be able to help the community back out, it's been beneficial to all of us,” Castillo said. “I've enjoyed it every time I do it. Teen Court means that we're helping the community out.”
Teen Court is a program of the Hood County Substance Abuse Council, which is an initiative of United Way of Hood County. The court meets on the third Thursday of every month.
"These kids that come through, it gives them the responsibility to do the service and take responsibility for their actions, that ‘Hey, you know, I did mess up, but now we'll be able to pay back’ — not in a financial way, but in a community service way,” Castillo said. “It's been a great thing since we started and hopefully it keeps going.”
After 12 years serving as judge for Teen Court, Castillo — who has resided in Granbury for 36 years — said he is looking forward to taking a much-needed break.
“Twenty-six years with the county is a long time,” he said. “All-together, 17-and-a-half-years on the bench, so I’ll probably retire for just a little bit.”
He said his time as JP has been “awesome,” but he’s looking forward to finally being able to take a vacation.
“In my career, I've been the president of our association, I've been president of the rowing club, I've been president on our North Texas Association, and I've been on the education committee for JPs, so I've done a lot,” he added. “It's been a great, great time here dealing with the people working around me during my office and with all the camaraderie we have with all the different offices. I will miss those people I get to work with.”
