Tennessee's 82 recovery courts are judicially supervised court records that reduce correctional costs, protect community safety, and improve public welfare. In these courts, non-violent people with substance use disorders participate in treatment under close legal and clinical supervision. Most of the state's 50 drug courts offer similar recovery programs with some varying details in place. Across the country, there are around 2,600 such programs.
All require that participants be non-violent offenders, suffer from an addiction, and meet the requirements of local programs, which are by all accounts demanding. Tennessee offers drug offenders an option that isn't available in most states. This option, commonly referred to as a “drug court”, gives drug offenders who have drug abuse problems the option to avoid a jail sentence. Formally known as the Recovery Court, the drug court provides drug offenders who are facing charges of non-violent drug offenses the opportunity to enter a substance abuse program instead of going to jail. Recovery courts are special courts created to deal with cases of drug offenders through drug testing, treatment and penalties, as well as incentives, instead of jail time.
Participants' expectations are high, but the program gives them the opportunity to exit the program drug-free and without a criminal drug conviction. The consequences of a drug conviction in Tennessee can negatively affect many areas of life, from employment to personal relationships. The penalties imposed for a drug conviction depend on many factors, but can include a possible jail sentence for serious crimes. However, in many drug cases, defendants may qualify for an alternative sentence. If you are facing a conviction for drug trafficking, a synthetic drug offense, or another criminal offense, a Nashville drug crime lawyer can assess your eligibility for an alternative sentence.
Bernie McEvoy can provide practical advice and defense representation in Davidson and Williamson counties. He can help you get a positive outcome in your case and advocate for alternative sentencing options for the drug-related crimes you face. It's important to note that the penalties for drug-related offenses in Tennessee can be severe, with mandatory sentences for serious crimes. If you are facing a drug-related charge in Franklin or in Middle TN, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney who is well versed in Tennessee drug laws. Modeled after drug courts and developed in response to the overrepresentation of people with mental illness in the criminal justice system, mental health courts divert some defendants with mental health disorders to community treatment overseen by the judge.
Once released from jail, they must live in the community, have a full-time job or have the equivalent of school and part-time employment, attend treatment sessions three times a week, attend at least three 12-step meetings every week, appear at Drug Court once a week to report progress, obey the curfew and undergo drug testing at least three times a week. It was Norman who looked up to his eyes in drug-related cases and sought help in the late 1990s and learned of the success of the first judicial drug program that originated in Miami. Simple possession in Tennessee refers to the possession of a controlled substance such as a drug listed on the state's Controlled Substance Lists without a valid prescription or other legal authorization. An adult drug court is a court calendar (or list of cases) specially designed with the goal of achieving a reduction in recidivism and substance abuse among adult offenders involved in drugs in the community. Once accepted into the Drug Court program, participants spend 70 days in jail even if they have already been in jail where treatment begins with daily individual and group counseling. Ofman and his experienced and compassionate team have decades of experience helping people facing drug charges in Franklin and throughout Central Tennessee.
The Morgan County Recovery Court is located in the shadow of the Morgan County Correctional Complex in Wartburg, Tenn.
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