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Judge orders monitored drug patches, bans THC while defendants are on bond
Summary
In arraignments at the 252nd District Court the judge ordered immediate drug‑monitoring conditions for defendants who tested positive or admitted use, requiring drug patches within 24 hours, biweekly testing, and a prohibition on any THC‑producing substance while on bond.
The judge at the 252nd District Court told multiple defendants during initial appearances that the court would require drug‑monitoring for suspected substance use and that any THC‑positive results could lead to stricter bond conditions.
"You're gonna have a drug patch put on within 24 hours," the judge said, explaining the patches must be changed every two weeks and the readings would show not just positive/negative but quantities that the court could use to track whether amounts are decreasing. The judge added that any substance that could cause a positive THC test — legal or illegal — was prohibited while the defendant remained on bond and warned that failure to comply could result in a raised bond and a return to custody.
The order came while the court handled several felony dockets where recent screenings or admissions prompted concern. Defendants were repeatedly instructed to obtain and show proof of compliance with testing and to report employment and other steps the court required as conditions of release.
The court framed the testing requirement as both punitive and rehabilitative: continued compliance, treatment and employment would weigh in favor of keeping the case on probation rather than sending defendants to a term of incarceration.
Next steps include defendants arranging the patch within 24 hours and probation monitoring results; the court warned that, if substance levels do not decline within two patches, bond will likely be increased and the defendant jailed.
