School and Youth Groups

297th District Court offers opportunities for school or youth groups to come and watch court proceedings. Our goal is to offer students a safe, interesting and educational visit.

All visitors and chaperones will have to go through the security station/metal detectors at each building. The security officers are very serious about this - whether it's a child or an adult - for the safety and protection of you and Tarrant County employees. Teachers and students will have to empty their pockets. Coins, metal, jewelry, chains, steel-toe shoes, etc., can set off the metal detector. Purses or bags will have to be placed on the conveyor belt for security review. Each person must go through the metal detector individually. This can be very time consuming, so please allow plenty of time to get through the metal detectors.

The Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center is a building where important decisions are made that can affect people's lives for many years. Please be respectful by being quiet in the building and elevators. Attorneys often conduct business with their clients in the elevators and hallways on their way to court. The elevators are very busy, so please allow plenty of time to get up to the appropriate floor.

Students must dress appropriately. No shorts, short skirts, low-cut blouses, sleeveless shirts, hats, etc., are allowed in the courtroom.

Court proceedings may be underway when you arrive. Please enter the courtroom in a quiet and orderly fashion. The bailiff will instruct you where to sit.

The judge has ultimate control of the courtroom and the area around it. If students are noisy, boisterous, falling asleep or disruptive, the judge may have them removed by the bailiff.

The 297th District Court handles felony-level offenses. During a visit, students may hear testimony and see exhibits pertaining to cases of murder, sexual assault, controlled substances or other serious criminal offenses. Please make sure that their parents are aware of this fact.

A parental release is required by the Tarrant County Sheriff's Department for students touring the jail.

For more information or to schedule a visit, please contact Nona McDonald at 817-884-1256.