Treatment Court for Drug and Alcohol Charges

When you’re charged with an alcohol or drug related crime, one option you may want to consider is treatment court. Treatment court is a special program that allows defendants to obtain credit and modified sentences if they engage in good faith attempts to get treatment for addiction.

Every county has the power to establish treatment court, although not all have. In most counties, treatment court involves an agreement between the Commonwealth and the defendant that the defendant will pursue counseling, alcohol and drug rehabilitation or other treatment plans as part of a reduction of jail time or other penalties associated with the charge.

DUIs come with mandatory jail time, and a third DUI comes with a minimum of a year in jail. Accordingly, treatment court is a powerful alternative for defendants faced with that kind of serious charge. Treatment courts usually require that an individual report to a judge several times a month to let them know how their treatment is going and to ensure that the defendant is following up with a treatment provider. Treatment providers provide information to probation who reports any missed appointments to a judge. Missed appointments can result in jail time and other penalties.

Signing on to treatment court often involves more work than the jail time involved, so some defendants actually prefer to take the jail time route. But for those willing and able to put the effort in, treatment court is an outstanding way to avoid the worst penalties of a DUI or other charge.

Treatment court also tends to last 18 months to 2 years and in some counties can last even longer. Accordingly, it’s important that you consider all of the consequences of pursuing treatment. At Cornerstone Law Firm, our attorneys are experienced with helping you to figure out the best way to resolve criminal charges no matter what you are facing. If you are facing drug or alcohol or other charges, we welcome you to call us and set up a consultation about your situation.

For information on Berks County, visit: https://www.berkspa.gov/departments/tc