Judge Holds Juvenile Court at Tulsa State Fair

Associated Press

TULSA, Oklahoma -- When juveniles are arrested at the Tulsa State Fair, many are surprised at what happens next. They get to meet the judge.

In the eight years that Tulsa County Special Judge Carl Funderburk has been holding court at the fairgrounds, he has found that the early arraignments have helped to curb juvenile mischief at the fair because the potential troublemakers know that an immediate punishment is waiting.

Before Funderburk started the court, which is held in a trailer near the Tulsa County sheriff's office trailer, about 90 juveniles were arrested at the fair every year, he said.

Now the arrests average fewer than 20, with 13 so far this year with one weekend to go.

Funderburk said the juveniles have become familiar with what he does at the fair, mostly by word of mouth.

"Their buddies know about it the next day," said Funderburk, whose name will appear on the Nov. 2 general election ballot for a district judgeship in Tulsa and Pawnee counties.

When a juvenile is arrested at the fair by sheriff's deputies, who patrol the fairgrounds, the youth's parents are contacted and are taken to the trailer, where they meet their child and the judge.

Funderburk then goes through the arrest report and determines whether probable cause for an arrest exists. If he finds that it does, he sets a bail amount and talks about what happens next, which is usually setting a court date.

"That usually gets their attention," Funderburk said. "Their demeanor has changed. They take it pretty seriously."

Usually, the judge releases the juvenile to parents if they post bond, and he sets conditions, such as that the youth can't have any unexcused absences or tardies from school.

Also, the youth is not allowed to set foot back on the fairgrounds.

However, if the crime is particularly bad or if the youth is being uncooperative, he or she is carted off to juvenile detention.

Deputy Shannon Clark, a public information officer for the sheriff's office, said, "Kids realize now they can't come out and cause mischief and just be released to their parents."

Funderburk said deputies can use him "as a force" when talking to juveniles at the fair.

"Their presence keeps juvenile issues to a minimum," he said. "They can tell kids we have a judge waiting right now."

The kids aren't the only ones who are surprised when their misbehavior lands them in front of the robed Funderburk at the fairgrounds.

"Most parents aren't expecting it at all," he said.

However, most are more concerned that their child was breaking the law.

Funderburk said he started the court after he saw as a juvenile detention officer and juvenile court judge how slowly the juvenile system moves.

"As I developed it, I suddenly realized how long it took for kids in the normal system," he said.

That led kids to think the crime wasn't that bad if a court date didn't come for sometimes 90 days.

"That's too long for a kid," he said. "We should be able to control the situation immediately."

Misbehaving juveniles aren't the only people Funderburk deals with.

On Thursday, he presided over his first fair wedding.

The groom was shipping out for training with the military and wanted to tie the knot before he left.

"I told them I would do it anywhere they wanted," Funderburk said, "but they were fine with the trailer."