Eugene E. Hooper Veterans Treatment Court (Comal County)

The Commissioners Court established the Comal County Veterans Treatment Court on August 13, 2015 under Government Code chapter 124; see the Texas entry. Judge Charles Stephens II of County Court at Law No. 2 started it, and in 2020 it was renamed the Eugene E. Hooper Veterans Treatment Court after the Navy veteran who helped build it and was its first peer mentor coordinator. Who. "Eligible misdemeanor defendants who have served in the United States Armed Forces". The applicant fills in an application covering the offense, whether they accept responsibility, military service and trauma, and the team (the judge, court administrator, probation officer, VA Veterans Justice Outreach specialist, defence attorneys and the Assistant District Attorney) decides. What an applicant writes is not used against them if they are not accepted, though a statement of the offense may be used to impeach after an unsatisfactory termination. The handbook sets no discharge test. How it works. Four phases of at least 30, 60, 90 and 90 days (orientation and stabilisation, intensive treatment, recovery skills, practical application), with court every two weeks at first and every three and four weeks later, then a community transition set by the plea paperwork. Drug and alcohol testing, treatment with providers whose fees can be income-based, and volunteer veteran mentors. Costs. A $750 programme fee: $525 to Community Supervision and Corrections for probation and testing and $225 to the County Clerk for programmes and attorney fees, paid up front or by phase ($150 in phase I, then $75 to the Clerk and $175, $250 and $100 to CSCD), or periodically or deferred at the judge's discretion based on ability to pay; some participants also owe $64 in restitution fees. Failing to pay on time does not by itself end participation. The court generally covers monitoring device costs. How it is funded. The Commissioners Court's agenda records show the Texas Veterans Commission grant trail: a 2025-2026 Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) Grant Program award of $210,000 "to fund programmatic expenses" accepted June 26, 2025; a further grant application under the TVC Fund for Veterans' Assistance VTC Grant Program authorized November 20, 2025; and a 2026-2027 VTC Grant Program award of $235,000 accepted August 20, 2026. The court also takes donations into budget line 102.102.4825, Veterans Treatment Court Donations (a $19.42 check from the American Online Giving Foundation, April 17, 2025) and incentive gift cards for veterans - twenty-four gift cards totaling $360 from Courtney Miller and four H-E-B gift cards totaling $60 from the Military Veterans Peer Network, accepted October 15, 2026. Documents. The application, handbook, tri-fold and mentor manual are on the County's Veterans Treatment Court page.