Joliet Lawyer Handles Will County Drug Court Cases

Attorney in Will County for Veteran's Court, Mental Health Court and Adult Redeploy Court Cases

If you have been charged with a non-violent but serious crime such as drug possession or theft, you may be eligible for sentencing through one of Illinois's problem-solving courts rather than through the traditional criminal court system. The problem-solving courts aim to provide treatment rather than a prison sentence for people suffering from substance abuse and/or mental health disorders. Will County, for example, offers four problem-solving courts: Drug Court, Mental Health Court, Veteran's Court, and Adult Redeploy Illinois.

At Honiotes Law Office, Ltd., we understand that criminal acts are often related to underlying issues such as drug addiction, alcoholism, and mental health disorders. With compassion and respect, we seek first to understand whether a client is affected by any such issues. Then we look for ways those issues may have contributed to the client's criminal charges. Whenever possible, we aim to get these clients placed into a problem-solving court program as an alternative to incarceration or other punishments. In many cases, successful completion of a treatment program can help a client avoid a prison sentence and a felony criminal record.

Attorney Kristine Honiotes is one of only a few private defense attorneys with extensive experience in the problem-solving courts of Illinois. She has attended two lengthy national training sessions and numerous state training sessions related to Drug Court and Mental Health Court programs. She is also a long-time member of the National Association for Drug Court Professionals.

She has over 14 years of experience as a criminal defense lawyer, including nine years as a public defender in Will County. Attorney Honiotes is a sharp, savvy lawyer who will not just defend you against criminal charges but also help you get into an appropriate treatment program.

Overview of the Illinois Problem-Solving Courts

Participation in the problem-solving courts is entirely voluntary. Your attorney can recommend your assignment to one of these programs, but your participation must be approved by the court and, in some cases, the prosecuting attorney.

The problem-solving court programs, sometimes referred to as specialty courts, are only open to non-violent offenders.

In general, these programs last from one to three years and involve intensive court supervision, addiction treatment, counseling, therapy, even fitness and nutrition training. Participants who successfully complete the program will typically have their criminal charges dismissed and avoid any prison time.

Will County currently offers all of these programs; other counties may not have all of these programs but will usually have an adult Drug Court.

List of Illinois Problem-Solving Courts

Adult Drug Court is intended to reduce criminal behavior related to drug use. The Drug Court program is for substance abusers who are charged with a non-violent misdemeanor or felony crime. This intense program of treatment and supervision programs lasts 12 to 18 months.

Juvenile Drug Court is a program that lasts 12 months. Graduation requires at least 6 months clean and sober.

Veteran's Court was established in Will County in 2012 to help current and former members of the military who have been accused of a crime and who are also struggling with alcohol and/or drug use disorders (alcoholism, drug addiction), a mental health disorder such as PTSD, or other issues stemming from their military service. This program was officially established in Illinois by the Veterans and Service Members Court Treatment Act of 2010 (730 ILCS 167).

Mental Health Court was founded in Will County in 2010 to assist those struggling with mental health issues. Mental Health Court is a voluntary treatment program that offers an alternative to prison for people whose crimes are related to mental illness or mental illness plus addiction. This program was officially established in Illinois by the Mental Health Court Treatment Act of 2008 (730 ILCS 168).

Adult Redeploy Illinois is a program established by the Illinois Crime Reduction Act of 2009 (730 ILCS 190). Its objective is to reduce the number of non-violent offenders serving costly prison sentences by diverting them into community-based programs. The criteria for acceptance into the Adult Redeploy program include:

• Current charges involving a Class 2, 3, or 4 non-violent felony which is probation-eligible
• Crime is a result of substance abuse, a mental health disorder, or criminal thinking behavior (e.g., anti-social thinking and anti-social peers are two leading factors that contribute to criminal behavior).
• No conviction in the past 10 years for a crime of violence.

Will County Problem-Solving Courts Defense Attorney

If you are facing criminal charges and think you might qualify for one of the problem-solving court programs, talk to attorney Kristine Honiotes. She is one of the most experienced and highly-trained private attorneys with regard to the problem-solving courts of Illinois. Contact the Joliet office of Honiotes Law at 815-409-7833 for a free initial consultation. Attorney Honiotes serves clients in DuPage County, Grundy County, Kane County, Kendall County, and Will County.