Macomb County Veterans' Treatment Courts

The 16th Judicial Circuit Court in Mount Clemens runs the Macomb County Veterans' Treatment Court under MCL 600.1200 to 600.1212 (see the Michigan entry on veterans treatment courts). Its first session was in April 2012; Judge Michael E. Servitto presides, on Thursday afternoons. Its establishing order. The court sits under Local Administrative Order 2018-15, which rescinds Local Administrative Order 2011-13 and is signed by Chief Judge James M. Biernat, Jr. The order joins the prosecutor, the sheriff, the Department of Corrections, the defense bar, the treatment providers and the Detroit VA Medical Center in a memorandum of understanding, and requires participants to sign voluntary written participation agreements. The order itself sets no eligibility rules: admission is governed by "written eligibility criteria as established by the veterans' treatment court stakeholders", kept in the programme's policies and procedures manual, which the order says is updated annually and is not posted. Who it takes, by its brochure. A veteran 18 or older with a discharge other than dishonorable and a circuit court criminal case that is not a capital crime; no active felony warrant from another county; who acknowledges a substance use problem or mental illness that needs treatment and is connected to military service and the current offense; with no current or past criminal sexual conduct conviction; and not in another specialty court. The brochure does not mention the statute's requirement of 180 days of active duty, and the statute's bar on violent offenders also covers an offense involving death or serious bodily injury. What it involves. Four phases over 18 to 24 months, with treatment through VA and community providers, a veteran mentor, random testing and probation visits, at no cost for testing and counselling. The January 2025 handbook asks for at least 120 days sober, 40 community service hours (360 for a third drunk driving offense) and all court fees and fines paid before graduation. Successful completion can bring a reduced or dismissed charge. How to apply. Defence counsel files the court's application with Specialty Court Services by email to [email protected]. A case from another court needs the approval of both the assigned judge and the prosecutor first, and a felony from another county needs the transfer application as well. Coordinator: Brett Karwowicz, 586-463-8746. District courts. The State Court Administrative Office's list of May 7, 2026 also names a veterans treatment court at the 41B District Court in Clinton Township (586-469-9300), and a regional veterans court at the 45th District Court in Oak Park that serves Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties (248-691-7433). The 41B court's own pages are at 41bdistrictcourt.com/veterans-court/ (coordinator Kara Hartman, Chief Judge Carrie Lynn Fuca) and its dedicated 41bvtc.com, which answers 403 to curl and was read in a browser: it calls the court a jail-diversion programme for veterans serving probation for non-violent crimes, diagnosed with a mental illness or substance abuse problem, who must enter a guilty plea, and says those dishonorably discharged are not eligible.