Students at East Laurinburg Alternative Learning Academy got a recent crash course in how to maneuver through the judicial system.

But the Scotland County court officials who provided the talk hope it is advice that the young people may never need.

District Court Judge Regina Joe, Assistant District Attorney Allan Adams and Public Defender Ayo Metiko spent about an hour Friday talking to the 30 students in frank terms about how ignorance of the law can have long-term consequences.

"Sometimes when I'm sitting on the bench I just cringe, but as a judge I cannot offer legal advice," Joe said. "If you get in trouble, ask for a lawyer. It can make all the difference in the world."

Adams told students to be careful about who they associate with. Adams said that if a person is with someone who commits a crime, they can both be charged.

"I can't tell you how many cases I deal with a person saying they were together in Wal mart and didn't know that someone was going to steal something," Metiko said. "Be careful. Make sure you know who you are hanging out with or you could find yourself in court.

All three officials warned the students that a criminal conviction can make it harder to find a place to live or a job when they get older.

"And in those cases where you do get hired," the judge said. "That conviction mean a lower salary and less opportunity for advancement. I don't know about you But I want to make as much money as I can."

The student were also given a chance to ask question about the justice system. The inquires ranged from dealing with communicated threats to the bail bond process.

No all exchanges between eh officials and the student dealt specifically with the court system. When one student told Joe that the judge appeared to be in her 30s, the judge joked that she would remember that if the student was ever a defendant in her court room.

The students shook hands and some even hugged the officials at the end of the program.

"Thank you thank you," Academy Principal John Teal said. "What you have said here today reinforces what we have been saying all along to our student — that your actions today can affect your future."

Teal said the event gave students a chance to talk with court officials informally, ask questions and gain a more positive view of the court .

"We have a good group of students here," Teal said. "More often than not, they just need someone to listen. You could tell by the many of the questions that they asked that this visit meant a lot to the students."

The alternative academy serves grades 5 through 12.

Superintendent Rick Stout who also attended the afternoon session, said he would like to see the talk repeated in other schools across the county.

"It is all part of our effort to give students an insight into what the future may hold," Stout said. "We want them to see beyond the school doors."