News Item
Veterans Court Commemorates Five-Year Anniversary in Hennepin County

Posted: Thursday, July 9, 2015

Hennepin County Veterans Court will commemorate its five-year anniversary on Monday, July 13, 2015, over the noon hour on the skyway level of the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis.  Media and cameras are welcome to attend the event.
 
Brief comments will be offered by representatives from the Fourth Judicial District, the Hennepin County Board, the Minneapolis VA Health Care System and Veterans Benefits Administration, followed by a testimonial from a Veterans Court graduate.
 
Judge Kerry Meyer presides over Veterans Court. “I am honored to be a part of celebrating the success of this Court.  More than 275 veterans have benefited in many ways from this program during its first five years.  There is no other court program that involves the cooperation of agencies and individuals as diverse as those that come together every Monday morning in Hennepin County Veterans Court.”
 
The Fourth Judicial District and Hennepin County implemented Veterans Court in July 2010. The mission of Veterans Court is to promote public safety and assist and support veterans and their families by creating a coordinated response through collaboration with the veterans' service delivery system, community-based services, and the criminal justice system. 
 
Hennepin County Veterans Court is a 12-18 month voluntary program. The target population consists of defendants who have served in the United State Armed Forces who are experiencing treatable behavioral and chemical health issues, i.e., post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), anger management/domestic violence, and/or substance abuse or chemical dependency. Under the guidance of their defense attorney and with the consent of the prosecutor, defendants may apply to participate in Veterans Court for misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, and felony offenses occurring in Hennepin County.
 
Veterans Court participants receive ongoing judicial supervision, are placed under intensive community supervision, undergo drug testing, and engage in treatment and other case plan activities as directed by the Court.

If you are interested in observing Veterans Court, hearings take place every Monday at 10 a.m. at the Hennepin County Government Center in courtroom C857.
 
For more information about the Fourth Judicial District serving Hennepin County, go to the Judicial Branch website at:  http://mncourts.gov/hennepin.