Kent County Veterans Treatment Court

Kent County set up its veterans treatment court in June 2015 at the 62A District Court, 2650 DeHoop Avenue SW, Wyoming, under MCL 600.1200 to 600.1212 (see the Michigan entry on veterans treatment courts). It takes misdemeanour and felony cases from every jurisdiction in the county, was fully certified by the State on September 21, 2023, and receives $100,000 a year from Kent County Veterans Services, which the committee kept for fiscal 2027. Who it takes, by its page. A veteran with an honorable or general discharge; 24 months of continuous military service, or less with a service-connected injury or illness; a pending adult criminal charge anywhere in Kent, Montcalm or Barry County and residence in one of them; a substance use disorder or mental illness or both; the capacity to complete the programme; and no earlier veterans court programme. Where it differs from the statute. Section 600.1200(h) admits a veteran under MCL 35.61, whose discharge need only be other than dishonorable, with 180 days of active duty. The court's discharge rule is narrower, shutting out an other than honorable discharge; its 24-month rule is stricter than 180 days but its service-connected route can admit someone with less. The statute lets a person enter a specialty court again (though not have a second offense dismissed), where the court admits no one twice. Nobody has a right to admission, so the court may set these rules, but a veteran turned away can ask about another court. The page also cites "MCL 600.1200(j)" for the definition of a veteran. That is where 2012 PA 335 first put it; 2016 PA 215 moved the definition to 600.1200(h) and narrowed it to a veteran under MCL 35.61 with 180 days of active duty, and (j) now defines a veterans treatment court. How to start. Call 616-257-9836 for an eligibility screening, Monday to Thursday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday mornings. A peer mentor programme is run by Mary Johnson, 616-634-1524.