Two Harford lawyers with military ties working to set up local veterans court

Awesome idea. I work in one of our local Veteran Treatment Courts as a liaison. I absolutely love the changes Veteran Courts offer. As a 12-year probation/parole officer, I realized that many of my offenders were prior military. I saw a common link between the reactions that veterans have been trained to have in the military, and the illegality of those actions in the civilian sector. There is a huge communication breakdown between what I've been trained in the military and what is permissible in today's society. It has been an amazing addition, it has been heartbreaking and comical. THe legal system is an amazing machine watching it change is magical. I continue to believe that we cannot hold our veterans accountable for what we have not shown them how to do.

COL Mikel J. Burroughs I know you are always interested in things that benefit Service members. The Philadelphia Courts 1st Judicial District of PA is a leader in this area. There was recently an article about how they designed their Veteran's court system. "Veterans are directed to representatives of the Veterans Administration, who are on site in one of our courtrooms. The VA staff schedules eligible Veterans for an assessment to determine appropriate needs and levels of care, and directs them to benefits to which they may be entitled. The assessment determines the Veterans suitability for an array of VA programs, including any required treatment (alcohol, drug, mental health or medical) as well as housing, job training and job referrals. After consultation with a defense attorney, if an eligible Veteran chooses to accept the terms of the offer from the Philadelphia District Attorney to participate in this voluntary program, we pair the VETERAN with a Mentor. The Mentor will assist the Veteran in working toward a successful resolution of the criminal charges, including a change in life choices, so that future contacts with the criminal justice system can be avoided."