Eighth Judicial Circuit: Transfer to the Alachua County Veterans Treatment Court (Levy County cases)

Florida lets each circuit's chief judge establish a Military Veterans and Servicemembers Court Program under section 394.47891; see the Florida entry. The Eighth Judicial Circuit (Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist, Levy and Union Counties) has established one, in Alachua County: Administrative Order 4.18, "Veterans Treatment Court", effective July 1, 2016, orders that "A Veterans Treatment Court ("VTC") is hereby established in Alachua County, Florida", with misdemeanor pretrial intervention, felony pretrial intervention and felony post-adjudication tracks. The Alachua County entry describes the court. The route from Levy County. The order provides that "Eligible individuals may have their case transferred to Alachua County VTC from another county or circuit pursuant to section 910.035, Florida Statutes, upon agreement of the parties and acceptance by the VTC Judge." The veteran must be a veteran or service member as defined in sections 1.01 and 250.01 with a military-related mental illness, traumatic brain injury, substance-abuse disorder or psychological problem. Under the order, violation of probation cases are ineligible, DUI offences are ineligible, and domestic violence charges need the victim's and the State Attorney's consent. How to use it. Ask defence counsel to seek the State Attorney's agreement and move to transfer the Levy County case; the circuit's Specialty Courts Manager, Sherry Browne, (352) 384-3094, [email protected], takes requests, and the court's veteran mentor coordinator is Denise Scott, (352) 374-3666. Participation means attending the court's hearings in Gainesville.