Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Criminal Law Blogs -> Southern California Criminal Defense Blog

Criminal Law

: Southern California Criminal Defense Blog

Little Known Statute May Serve Veterans With PTSD

By Walin & Klarich

A little known statute may become more prominently cited in the courtroom in the near future as more veterans begin to return from the tours of duty in the Middle East. Pc 1170.9 ?lets judges, under certain circumstances, sentence combat veterans suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) to psychiatric help instead of jail time for their crimes?. Although this statute could give a chance for veterans suffering from PTSD to stay out of jail, the statute is not very well known and even in San Diego County which has a large military population, the law has only been cited twice as of June according to deputy Public Defender James E. Faulder, who handled the cases (Herbert A. Sample, California Lawyer, December 2008). As soldiers that have served in the Middle East are coming home, it?s becoming consistently more noticeable that servicemen and women are coming home with severe PTSD...continue to full post

Full post as published by Southern California Criminal Defense Blog on December 28, 2008 (boomark / email).