Twenty-eight Canyons School District students were sworn in as Peer Court judges on Aug. 26 in the Canyons Board of Education chamber.

Utah Supreme Court Associate Chief Justice Jill Pohlman administered the oath, according to the district. Pohlman, a graduate of Alta High School, told the students they would be "forever changed" by the experience.

Cottonwood Heights City Council Member Shawn Newell, who helped recruit Supreme Court justices to train the student judges, discussed the program at the Cottonwood Heights City Council meeting in July. Every Canyons high school, including Brighton High in Cottonwood Heights, is represented on the court.

The swearing-in launches the seventh year of Canyons' Peer Court, one of only two district-sponsored youth courts in Utah. The program handles minor school-rule infractions, including fighting, vandalism, shoplifting and vaping, as an alternative to suspension or expulsion.

Pohlman, who served on the Utah Court of Appeals before Gov. Spencer Cox appointed her to the Supreme Court in June 2022, drew on her own bench experience during the ceremony.

"The most surprising thing was (hearing about) the difficulty of people's lives and challenges," Pohlman said. "The real growth I had was to feel differently about defendants. It didn't mean we wouldn't hold them accountable."

Program Administrator Charisse Hilton has overseen Peer Court since it began hearing cases in the 2020-2021 school year. She has presented at national conferences about the program's results.

According to the district, Peer Court offers a more effective path than suspension or expulsion, which can increase students' risk of dropping out or entering the juvenile justice system. Hilton said some sessions weigh heavily on the student judges. Sentencing requirements include academic and attendance benchmarks, plus a component tied to the student's personal interests.

Judges do not hear cases from their own school. The 28 judges meet weekly and log roughly 2,000 volunteer hours over the school year.

Participation requires parental consent. If a student and their parents agree to the process, no formal disciplinary action goes on the student's record. Students may use Peer Court once per year; repeat violations are handled through other channels.

The district has not announced an application window for the next cohort of student judges.