The data regarding attorney skills in this jurisdiction is incomplete. The data tells us the what, but not the why. What we do know is:

• Youth attend court the majority of the time, and it is mostly older youth that attend.
• In most hearings, attorneys for the youth are aligned with the government.
• Attorneys for youth, for the most part, participate in witness examination during trial.
• Attorneys for youth file motions in more than half of cases.

What we do not know from this data is:

• Why do youth attend? Who ensures that youth attend? Are youth engaged/active participants in their hearings? What is the attorney’s role in youth attendance, engagement, and participation in court?
• Are attorneys engaging in independent investigation in this jurisdiction?
• How skillful are attorneys in conducting witness examination? How many questions are asked? Do the questions get to the heart of the trial issue/advance the client’s position? Are they the same as or different from questions asked by other counsel?
• What types of motions do attorneys file? What is the quality of those motions? What is the result of those motions?