Miscellaneous

Old Problems, New Venue: Buffalo's Veterans' Court

By Anne Skove, Esq.

Veterans have always had problems in this country: homelessness, mental illness, and coping with military life generally.

Now, veterans have their own court.

It makes sense. The spectrum of specialized courts includes drug courts, bankruptcy courts, mental health courts, family courts, gun courts, and truancy courts, to name a few. All have similar goals: to solve a cluster of problems.

The problem-clusters faced by veterans are manifold: dissolution, custody/parenting, benefits, substance abuse, mental health, even traffic issues caused by PTSD or the simple lack of civilian driving skills.

The new court started in Buffalo in January. At least 300 veterans went through the court system there last year, so judges and court staff decided to combat the problem.

Defendants are paired with mentors (who are also veterans). As with other problem-solving courts, the court keeps close watch on defendant/participants. Services such as housing, job training (doesn't the military promise to provide this?), and counseling are made available.

See Court Aims to Help Vets with Legal Troubles, Libby Lewis, Morning Edition (April 29, 2008), and Nation's First Veterans Court Comes to Order, Ilona Meagher, PTSD Combat (January 12, 2008). (Is this really the "first?" We always shy away from making that call! No doubt someone will emerge from woodwork somewhere to make a counterclaim.)

Full post as published by court-o-rama.org on April 29, 2008 (boomark / email).