"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, you are about to hear the case of ... ," is how I open every case that comes my way. For two years, I have worked as a teen attorney in the Teen Court of Santa Fe County, defending, prosecuting and working various other jobs in the courtroom. This experience has taught me quite a bit and has hopefully earned me some respect in the community.

This year, I am starting my third year as a teen attorney, and I can honestly say that the teen court is a well-managed, smooth-running court system. Teenagers from our community defend and prosecute fellow teenagers who have committed misdemeanors or traffic violations.

In 2009, I saw a flyer posted on a bulletin board at my school advertising the program. A law career has always been in the back of my mind; watching Law and Order episodes helped sow those seeds.

Before I could become a teen attorney, I had to be trained, which was a fairly intimidating process.

Two years ago, a group of about 16 teens and I sat and listened to lectures and training tips given by some of the most respected lawyers in New Mexico. For four hours, we were drilled on everything that was expected of us in court, including proper courtroom etiquette. We learned that formal speech, knowledge and respect of the court are all essential skills needed to defend or prosecute a defendant successfully.

The hardest part of the program is the public speaking portion.

The first time that I ever spoke during a trial was probably the most nerve-wracking 5 minutes of my life. My task was simple: Ask the defendant questions to help lessen the sentence. Struggling through questions, I stuttered, stopped and restarted every 10 seconds. After what seemed like an eternity, I finished questioning and sat down. I blushed while vomit threatened to burst out of me.

Now, I speak with confidence. As I gained more experience in the courtroom, I found a rhythm and flow that seems to work well.

Experience in teen court is especially important to me. I am still deciding on a career path; however, I have a definite interest in law.

I have grown in many ways since becoming a teen attorney. Public speaking, for example, was not my forte two years ago, but now I retain poise and confidence when I talk. In addition to gaining experience, I love knowing that I am helping the community by becoming part of its justice system.

Yujie Ding is a sophomore at Santa Fe High School. You can reach him at gnrocks2846@gmail.com.