In order for a veteran to be eligible for Veterans Court in Cook County, enrollment has to be agreed to by the Court, Prosecutor and the Defendant. The crime that the veteran is charged with cannot be a crime of violence. The veteran will not be eligible unless they have demonstrated a willingness to undergo treatment in the program. They will also be ineligible if they have been convicted of a crime of violence within the past 10 years or if they have been discharged from a similar program within the past 3 years.
Lake County’s Veterans Court is similar with minor changes to the eligibility requirements. To be eligible for Veterans Court in Lake County the veteran must have been honorably discharged from the military, must have a service related disability or currently be in the military, must be charged with a felony or misdemeanor in which probation or supervision is available, and must be willing to participate in the program before and after they enter the program. They prefer that the veteran be eligible for VA benefits but is not a requirement. For any crime involving a crime against an individual, the victim must agree to allowing the veteran to enter such a program.
Once in the program, treatment options are crafted for each specific case. The program may last between 18 to 24 months. Depending on the issues involving each defendant, a course of alcohol or drug treatment is prescribed, mental health treatment, counseling, job training and even curfews may be involved. Regular court dates are scheduled and regular drug tests are administered. Positive drug tests can include jail time or other forms of punishment designed to force compliance. Once a veteran completes Veterans Court, or graduates, their criminal case is dismissed and they may eventually be able to expunge the case and the arrest.
Cook County and Lake County officials report great success with their programs. A large percentage of graduates of such courts do not get arrested again and the savings from not having to incarcerate these defendants runs into the millions of dollars.
We should be hearing more about these courts as we get closer to January 1, 2018, which is when each county will be required to establish such courts.
James Dimeas is a nationally-recognized, award-winning criminal defense lawyer. James Dimeas has been fighting criminal cases throughout Chicago, Cook County, DuPage County, Kane County, and Lake County for over-27 years. James Dimeas was recognized as a “Best Criminal Defense Lawyer in Chicago” by Expertise and a “Best DUI Attorney.” Attorney and Practice Magazine gave James Dimeas the “Top 10 Criminal Defense Attorney Award for Illinois.” The National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys gave James Dimeas the “Top 10 Attorney Award for the State of Illinois”. The American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys recognized James Dimeas as a “10 Best Attorney for Client Satisfaction.” The National Trial Lawyers named James Dimeas a “Top 100 Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer.” The American Society of Legal Advocates named James Dimeas a “2018 Top 100 Lawyer.” James Dimeas is rated “Superb” by AVVO, the highest rating possible for any criminal defense lawyer in the United States.
If you are facing criminal charges, you can contact award-winning criminal defense lawyer, James Dimeas, anytime for a free and confidential consultation. You can always speak to James Dimeas personally by calling him anytime at 847-807-7405.
Additional Resources:
Circuit Court of Cook County, Cook County Veterans Treatment Court.
Circuit Court of Cook County, Specialty/Treatment Court Locations.
Veterans Treatment and Assistance Court, Lake County Website.
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