Category Archives: Drug Court Diversion
So You Got a Second Chance With Drug Diversion. What Happens If You Blow It?
Getting offered a spot in a Florida drug diversion program can feel like winning the legal lottery. No trial, no conviction on your record if you finish the requirements, and a real shot at putting the arrest behind you. But diversion is not a formality. It is a contract, and it comes with fine… Read More »
Drug Court or the Courtroom Grind? What Orlando Defendants Are Really Choosing Between
Walk into the Orange County Courthouse on a weekday morning and you will see two very different versions of the justice system operating under one roof. In one courtroom, a judge is weighing charging documents, prior record, and the mechanics of an alleged offense. Down the hall, another judge is asking a defendant how… Read More »
Orlando Drug Court Program: How It Works and Who Qualifies
Getting arrested on a drug charge in Orlando can feel like the ground just dropped out from under you. But criminal court is not the only path forward for every case. Florida law allows counties to run treatment based drug court programs, and Orange County has one of the more established versions in the… Read More »
Drug Court Is Not a “Get Out of Jail Free” Card
Drug courts are a welcome contribution to criminal justice reform, and they are present in all of Florida’s most populous metropolitan areas. If you get arrested for drug possession and the judge approves you for participation in drug court, you can emerge from the experience without a criminal conviction on your record if you… Read More »
Post-Adjudicatory Drug Court Is Better Than Prison, but It Isn’t a Panacea
Addiction is not a crime, but for too long, the court system has treated it as though it were. Too often, being tough on crime simply means punishing people for not having the financial resources and the social support system of friends and relatives to help them stay sober for the long term. Keeping… Read More »
