In case you missed it, I wanted to remind folks that the Public Defense Education team here, with support from the Office of Indigent Defense Services, is proud to offer a new webinar, Recovery Courts: An Overview for Defenders. Recovery courts (also known as treatment courts) have long played an important role in the criminal justice system, and the number and types of recovery courts have expanded over time. Recovery courts are increasingly an option for court-involved individuals with substance abuse and/or mental health issues, and are often targeted to specific demographics, such as veterans, juveniles, and repeat DWI offenders. Unlike the traditional criminal justice system, recovery courts operate in a less adversarial way, functioning instead more as a team effort between court system actors (e.g., prosecutors, judges, and defense counsel) and other professionals and community players (e.g., social workers, treatment providers, and mentors). This collaborative approach can provide real and lasting benefits both to a defendant’s case and to his or her personal life. The role of defense counsel in these matters can present challenges, though, and this webinar seeks to equip defenders with the tools they need to effectively and ethically represent clients in this setting.
My friend and colleague Timothy Heinle spearheaded this effort. He recruited several assistant public defenders working in this space to share their expertise and help explain the purpose of drug courts, the authority under which they operate, and the practical and legal issues that can arise while representing a client in this context. The webinar is free for those who register by Friday, August 1, and will count for one hour of general CLE credit. After Friday, the webinar will be available in our online CLE library, where you can view for CLE credit for a modest fee or watch it for free for educational purposes only. Sign up here today if you’re interested! Even if you can’t make the deadline, if you are interested in learning more about recovery courts, check out the “Materials” tab on the registration page, where there are links to best practices guides and other helpful resources for defenders working in treatment courts.
A big thank you to Timothy Heinle for his work on this project, as well as to the assistant public defenders who devoted their time and energy to this effort. Those include Stephanie Adelman of the Mecklenburg County Public Defender’s Office and Scott Dennis, Kerry Glasoe-Grant, and Susannah Knox, all from the Buncombe County Public Defender’s Office. Thanks also to the SOG’s own audio/video production specialist, Paul Bonner, whose technical expertise was key to the effort.