06/22/2026
I wanted to reach out to those that have been a part of, supported or follow Lagrange County Teen Court to inform you that starting July 1st the program will not continue to run as it has since being started under Judge Vanderbeck in 1996.
I was informed by the Lagrange County JDAI Coordinator that the Commissioners and Auditor wanted him to include the funding of the program in his grant. That being said, JDAI will take the program over.
This program has seen much success over the past thirty years and I have had the privilege to see it myself over the ten plus years I have been director. We have given many teens in our county a chance to stay out of the juvenile justice system, an opportunity to learn from mistakes.
Teens have spent hours giving back by completing community service hours, doing learning projects such as research, reflective essays and interviews as part of their sentence.
Lagrange County teens have also put in many hours serving as jurors, judges, and attorneys in trials for their peers. These volunteer hours were used to help those teens with graduation requirements, National Honors Society required community service hours and have benefited many by including teen court on applications for jobs, scholarships and colleges.
Trials have not only helped our local probation office but also the county schools and law enforcement.
The next steps have not officially been shared with me other than the contract is up at the end of this month. I reached out to our Lagrange County Council members, JDAI Coordinator and Judge Walz to express my concern and offered for them to contact me so we could discuss how the program has been working but have heard nothing.
I encourage any and all of you to do the same. The fact this change is being made without any education on the program is disappointing and doing a disservice to the youth in our county.
If you have any questions for me, Joanne Gillespie, current Director of Lagrange County Teen Court, please message me and I will give you my direct contact information.
Thank you all for your support over the past 30 years!
