Please see the following press release (Northeastern Judicial Circuit Exits Local Emergency) from Court Administrator Jason Stephenson.
The Hall County DUI Court mission is to make offenders accountable for their actions, bringing about a behavioral change that reduces DUI recidivism and the abuse of alcohol and other drugs while raising the re-licensure rate for participants that complete the program; to protect the public; to treat the victims of DUI offenders in a fair, just way; and to educate the public as to the benefits of DUI courts for the communities that they serve.
Hall County DUI Court began in 2003 and is designed to coordinate substance abuse intervention with judicial support through an immediate sanctions and incentives process. Participant entry into the DUI Court is mandatory and charges are not reduced or dismissed upon successful completion of the program. One goal is to reduce the Driving Under the Influence recidivism through substance abuse intervention with immediate judicial review. Another goal of the DUI Court is to facilitate the re-licensure of participants in the program. The DUI Court is a partnership among State Court, the Solicitor’s Office, the defense bar, law enforcement, probation, and local, licensed substance abuse treatment providers.
Participation in Hall County DUI is mandatory for defendants meeting the following sentencing guidelines:
Exemption from enrollment in DUI Court can only be granted by a judge. Participation in the program requires a minimum sentence of 24 months on probation and is a special condition of probation requirements. Participants must reside in Hall County, complete a Risk Reduction program, and complete a drug and alcohol evaluation and any recommended treatment.
Certain factors may exclude one from being eligible for the DUI Court program. These factors include:
Participation in the program requires a minimum sentence of 24 months on probation and is a special condition of probation requirements. It is not a voluntary program.
“I owe a lot of my sobriety and I owe a lot of who I am today to the DUI Court program.”