Manatee County Veterans Treatment Court

The Twelfth Judicial Circuit runs veterans treatment courts in Manatee and Sarasota Counties under section 394.47891 of the Florida Statutes; see the Florida entry. In Manatee, Judge Stephen Walker presides; hearings are on the first Thursday of each month at 11 a.m., and the programme office is on the second floor of the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton (941-749-3670), Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Who. Someone who "served or is currently serving in a branch of the United States Armed Forces" and is willing to take part, charged with a non-violent felony; misdemeanors "will be reviewed on a case by case basis", and drug dealing is not accepted. The team gives final approval. The circuit sets no discharge test. The bar on violent felonies and drug dealing is the circuit's own; the statute leaves each case to the court's judgment of the interest of justice. The programme. Four phases, designed for one year but taking up to two, on tracks of six months (pretrial intervention, for first offenders), twelve months, and eighteen months (a high intensity track for those facing prison); the State Attorney assigns the first and last. Treatment can be at the VA (outpatient, intensive day treatment or a 28-day residential programme) or with local providers, with random testing, recovery meetings and a volunteer veteran mentor. Completion through pretrial intervention may bring reduced or dismissed charges; on probation, a withheld adjudication or shorter probation. Cost. "Each participant in VTC pays $15 per week to the Clerk of the Court", or may do public service in lieu of payment at $10 an hour; a participant's first month on the A Team waives that month's fees. The handbook says to pay at "2000 Main St. (Old Historical Court House)", which is the Sarasota County historic courthouse address printed in the circuit's Sarasota handbook; the Manatee Clerk's main office is at 1115 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton.