ANNA, Texas – A Texas judge is doing something novel in the relatively new world of courts designed specifically for military veterans.
Rather than requiring veterans to travel to court appearances, John Roach Jr.'s court travels to them. The traveling court serves veterans in five counties near Dallas who don't have transportation. Veterans say the opportunity is life-changing.
The judge says the court is a first of its kind. He hopes it will be replicated in other rural areas without public transportation, where getting to hearings can be a challenge.
The three-phase program requires substance-abuse treatment, drug and alcohol testing, therapy, mentoring and community service. If veterans graduate, their criminal charges are dismissed and their arrest records destroyed.
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