A Florida drug charge has the potential to lead to serious trouble. Depending on the severity of the charge you face, you may wind up serving time, paying fines or performing community service, among other obligations. If your drug offense was not a violent one, though, you may be able to enter into the Charlotte County Drug Court as a possible alternative to going to jail.
Per the 20th Judicial Circuit, Charlotte County’s drug court is a supervised, voluntary program that holds drug offenders accountable while also giving them resources to help them get better.
How drug court works
Should you gain entry into drug court, expect to make regular court appearances before a judge. Plan, too, to undergo intensive treatment while the program is ongoing. You must also submit to random drug tests and attend individual and group counseling sessions and 12-step meetings, among other compliance requirements. How long you must remain in the program varies from one participant to the next. However, everyone who enters drug court in Charlotte County must remain in the program for at least a year.
How you complete drug court
Graduating drug court requires you to complete all phases of the program to the administrators’ satisfaction. Once you do so, a drug court judge and a drug court team decide if you are a good candidate to graduate. If you receive approval, you may invite your family members and loved ones to join you as the drug court judge recognizes your achievement.
While drug court may give you a better option than jail after a drug offense, it may also have far-reaching positive effects by helping you overcome your dependency for good.
