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Spokane County judge outlines Veterans Court program, mentorship and services for veterans charged in district court
Summary
Judge Patrick Johnson described Spokane County Veterans Court as a veteran-only alternative to conventional prosecution, highlighting volunteer mentors, services for housing and mental health, sentencing flexibility and a claim that 67 graduates said the program likely prevented suicides.
Judge Patrick Johnson, the veterans court judge and a U.S. Army veteran, on Friday described Spokane County’s Veterans Court as an alternative route for veterans charged in Spokane County District Court and invited eligible people to consider the program.
The video message said the court provides a team of professionals "who will meet you where you are" and that, by policy, the program accepts only veterans. "You will be surrounded by people who understand military culture and the challenge facing our veterans," Johnson said.
Johnson said court roles are staffed by veterans, including the judge, the probation officer, the assigned defense attorney and the elected prosecutor — a design he described as intended to create shared understanding for participants. He also said each accepted participant is paired with a volunteer mentor matched to the participant’s branch of service who meets weekly, provides guidance and "will stand with you in court." He emphasized that mentors are volunteers and do not work for the court.
"In fact, 67 veteran court graduates report that without veterans court, they fear they may have taken their own life," Johnson said, attributing the figure to court graduates; the video did not specify the source or methodology for that number. He also listed program help that participants may receive, including assistance with housing, employment, medical care and education.
Johnson said Veterans Court offers flexibility in final sentencing for criminal cases, including possible adjustments to jail time and fines as part of the program’s alternatives to conventional prosecution.
He closed by inviting veterans charged in Spokane County District Court to meet with Veterans Court staff to determine whether the program is a good fit for their cases and thanked viewers for their service.
The video did not provide detailed eligibility criteria beyond the statement that the court accepts only veterans, nor did it specify referral procedures, funding sources or statistics documentation. Those details would need to be obtained from Spokane County District Court staff or program materials.
