St. Johns and Putnam County Veterans Treatment Court

The Seventh Judicial Circuit runs veterans treatment courts in Volusia County and, jointly, in St. Johns and Putnam Counties under section 394.47891 of the Florida Statutes; see the Florida entry. The St. Johns and Putnam court sits at the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center, 4010 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, with Judge Howard O. McGillin, Jr. presiding, roughly every other Friday (the circuit publishes the 2026 and 2027 dates); 904-827-5626. Who. The circuit's page opens it to people who served in the armed forces, the Reserve or the National Guard, Defense Department contractors and veterans of allied militaries, subject to service verification, a review of criminal history and an eligible offense. The policy and procedure manual (February 2024) adds that a participant must be 18 or older, a member in good standing or "discharged with a qualifying discharge", and that the programme is "geared toward high need Veterans". The statute sets no discharge test and leaves only a dishonorable discharge to the chief judge and state attorney, so a veteran with a general or other than honorable discharge should ask. The manual says lack of VA health care eligibility is a factor but does not decide admission. The programme. Entry before trial by a deferred prosecution agreement or after a plea as a condition of probation; five phases over an anticipated 18 to 24 months; treatment, testing, frequent court reviews, weekly contact with a veteran mentor, community service, and court costs and fees paid by phase (15%, 45% and 75% by the later phases, all of them to graduate). Sentenced participants generally receive five years' probation with the programme as a condition. The St. Johns County Veterans Service Officer and St. Johns County Legal Aid are part of the team.