Provides a safe and friendly environment for children while parents or guardians await hearing times.
In 2009, the Manatee County Judicial Center opened the Children’s Waiting Room; a project spearheaded by the Manatee County Young Lawyers Division. The Children’s Waiting Room is now equipped with an intercom system so that the clerk or bailiffs can contact waiting parents and children to notify them when their case is about to be called back in the courtroom.
The Children’s Waiting Room, on the 3rd floor of the Judicial Center, provides children who must accompany their parents or guardians to court proceedings a safe and friendly environment while awaiting hearing times. Children using the room must be supervised by a parent or guardian. The Children’s Waiting Room includes a jungle-themed, hand-painted mural and custom cabinetry both supplied by local artisans. Additionally, the room contains children’s toys, books, and other kid-friendly entertainment.