Have you, or someone that you care about recently been arrested for a drug-related crime in Dallas or anywhere else in Dallas County?
If so, you may be interested in learning about Dallas County’s DIVERT Court, which stands for Diversion and Expedited Rehabilitation and Treatment.
The DIVERT Court was established on May 1, 1998 and was designed to handle cases involving drug-addicted offenders through comprehensive treatment and supervision. With the drug court model, a caring team works with the offender to help him or her overcome their addiction.
This team includes:
- The offender’s defense attorney
- The local prosecutors
- The judge presiding over the case
- Law enforcement and correction personnel
- Probation officers
- Educational and vocational experts
- Treatment providers
In order to be accepted into DIVERT Court, the offender must be diagnosed with a substance abuse problem, which requires treatment. The individual’s treatment plan may include inpatient or outpatient treatment for their substance abuse problem.
The DIVERT Court program lasts anywhere from 12 to 18 months. If the individual successfully completes the program and he or she has not had any new arrests, then two years after completing the program, their arrest of the drug charge will be expunged.
To be eligible for the DIVERT program:
- This must be your first felony arrest
- You are being charged with a third degree felony or
- You are being charged with a state jail felony
In order to be referred to the DIVERT program, your defense attorney will have to contact the court within 90 days of your indictment and the court coordinator will have to initiate the referral process.
Essentially, the DIVERT program is an intense rehabilitation program, which provides counseling and treatment and support.
The goal is to teach clients to be productive members of society and to live a life of accountability and sobriety. It is an excellent alternative over traditional sentencing.
If you are interested in learning more about pretrial diversion in Dallas or Collin counties, don’t hesitate to contact The Zendeh Del Law Firm, PLLC for help.
