Douglas County attorney outlines specialty courts and near-term competency court launch

Valerie Brewster, senior assistant county attorney, described specialty or "problem-solving" courts that Douglas County partners can use to address underlying needs of people involved in the criminal system.

"The most important thing to really, recognize about wellness court, is the individualized care," Brewster told the committee, summarizing the specialty-court model: smaller dockets, a dedicated judge, district attorney and public defender, phased participation and incentives that can include reduced sanctions and rehabilitative plea agreements.

Brewster said sobriety court is newly launched in the 23rd Judicial District and is targeted at repeat DUI/DWAI offenders who are facing felony-level charges after repeated convictions. She highlighted Veterans Treatment Court (which includes peer mentors) and described recovery/drug courts as structured programs with multiple phases culminating in a graduation ceremony.

On competency court, Brewster said the county attorney's office has been working with the Human Services Department and the county mental-health collaborative on policies, MOUs and an ROI and that the county is close to standing up a competency court. "We are hoping to have it up and running by end of August-ish," she said, while cautioning that the date is not a firm promise.

Commissioner Abe Laden pressed on safeguards against misuse of competency evaluations in serious cases; Brewster said DA screening and statutory competency procedures (including second evaluations and contesting findings) are intended to prevent inappropriate use.

What happens next: Brewster advised teams to staff potential cases early, use release-of-information forms to allow interagency coordination, and consult district attorneys when a case may be appropriate for a specialty court. No formal vote or policy change was recorded at the July 9 meeting.