Douglas County Specialty Courts

The Douglas County Circuit Court offers three court-supervised treatment programs designed to restore clients to be productive members of society, rather to punish them for inappropriate behavior that has an underlying, treatable cause.

Domestic Violence Court

Domestic Violence Court is for clients whose crime of conviction constituted domestic violence.  Clients work with Family Faith and Relationship Advocates in the Outgrowing Power, Anger, and Control program, focusing on healthy relationships, boundaries, accountability, and emotional intelligence, as well as learning how things that happened in their past lead to problems in their relationships now.  Clients will appear in court monthly to start.  The Court or the treatment provider may also require the client to engage in mental health or Substance Use Disorder treatment, if applicable.  Individuals convicted of a felony will be placed on supervised probation, and individuals convicted of a misdemeanor will be placed on bench probation.

Domestic Violence Court Program is located at 1036 SE Douglas Ave, Justice Building in Courtroom 304 on the first Monday of the month at 4:00 P.M.

More information

The Douglas County Domestic Violence Court (DV Court) operates under the jurisdiction of the Douglas County Circuit Court. DV Court is a court monitored Batterer’s Intervention Program. Entry into the program is based on sentencing on a Domestic Violence related charge where the defendant is sentenced to complete a State Certified Batterer’s Intervention Program which can take up to 52 weeks to complete. Participant’s progress is monitored monthly.

Mental Health Court

Mental Health Court is for clients who have trouble managing a severe, persistent mental illness, and are convicted of a crime that resulted from that illness. Most clients in Mental Health Court have trouble managing their Bipolar Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or schizoaffective disorder, but other mental health illnesses could also qualify.  This five-phase program takes clients, on average, eighteen months to complete.  Clients typically work with Compass Behavioral Health for counseling, medication management, and case management services, as well as ADAPT (if there is a co-occurring Substance Use Disorder).  Phase 1 clients can expect to be in court weekly, meeting with their counselor weekly, working with the case manager on housing, and may be referred to group treatment.  These requirements will lessen as clients progress through the phases.  All clients, whether convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor, will be on supervised probation.

The Mental Health Court Program is located at 1036 SE Douglas Ave, Justice Building in Courtroom 402. Mental Health Court hearings are held weekly on Tuesdays at 10:30 am.

More information

The Douglas County Mental Health Court began on August 19th, 2014, with Judge Randolph Garrison and operates under the jurisdiction of the Douglas County Circuit Court. The Douglas County Mental Health Court provides court oversight and a collaborative team approach to connect participants to mental health services and monitor progress.

The Douglas County Mental Health Court is a special Pre and Post sentencing alternative through the criminal justice system for people with mental illness accused of committing a crime. Participants will be placed on supervised probation for 18-36 months depending on the offense for which they are sentenced. Some participants may be eligible to have their cases dismissed upon successful completion of Mental Health Court unless they enter Mental Health Court on a probation violation.

Drug Court

Drug Court is for those clients whose primary diagnosis is Substance Use Disorder who are charged with a drug crime or a felony fueled by their drug use.  This five-phase program takes clients, on average, eighteen months to complete, during which time they get the most intensive and complete drug treatment program available in Douglas County.  Phase 1 clients can expect to be in court weekly, in groups three times per week, and meet individually with their counselor weekly.  These requirements lessen as clients progress through the phases.  All clients are expected to call in daily (including weekends) to determine if they need to produce a UA, and to attend two support group meetings per week.

The Drug Court Program is located at 1036 SE Douglas Ave, Justice Building in Courtroom 304. Drug Court status hearings are conducted weekly at 8:30 am on Monday and Thursday.

More information

The Douglas County Adult Drug Court Program operates under the jurisdiction of Douglas County Circuit Court. This program was implemented on January 17, 1996. Drug court is an intensive court monitored treatment program that combines alcohol/drug treatment with judicial oversight using a collaborative team approach.

The Drug Court Program serves as a felony diversion and post-conviction program. Diversion eligible participants will have the criminal charges upon which they entered the program dismissed if they successfully complete the program, pay the required drug court fee, and pay all supervision fees. Some participants may be referred and accepted into the program as a condition of probation or at the time of sentencing. Those participants’ criminal charges will not be eligible for dismissal. Program capacity is 65 active participants.

Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT)

Clients who are in custody on a downward departure sentence and meet certain qualifications can do their Phase 1 treatment in the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) program in the jail, which takes a minimum of 120 days.  RSAT clients live in a dorm separate from general population and have intensive treatment four hours a day, in addition to individual contact with their counselors.  RSAT also assists clients with finding clean and sober housing upon release if they cannot go home.  RSAT clients are released into Phase 2 of the Drug Court program.

DUII Diversion Program 

Eligibility 

You are eligible to participate in the diversion program only if:

  • you meet all requirements described in the attached Defendant’s Declaration of Eligibility and
  • you appeared in court on the date scheduled for your first appearance on the charge (unless the court finds good reason to excuse your failure to appear) and
  • you file the Petition and Agreement with the court within thirty (30) days of your first appearance in court (unless the court finds there is good cause to allow a later date).
Agreement with the Court  

The DUII Diversion Petition and Agreement is your agreement with the court. To have the DUII charge dismissed, you must do all the following :

  1. Pay the required diversion fees to the court. Fees are listed in Section 1 of the Summary of DUII Diversion Fees. If you cannot afford to pay these fees, tell the judge. The court may waive some of the fees or allow you to make payments over time, depending on your financial situation.
  2. Pay restitution (See Section 1 of the Summary of DUII Diversion Fees).
  3. Complete an alcohol and drug abuse assessment. The court will assign you to an agency for assessment. You must give the agency accurate and truthful information about your use of drugs and alcohol. You must pay fees to the agency. The agency will recommend a treatment program if they find that you need treatment.
  4. Complete the recommended treatment program. You must pay the treatment provider directly. If you cannot pay the cost of treatment, tell the treatment provider. They may be able to waive certain costs or let you make payments over time.
  5. Attend a victim impact panel and pay the participation fee
  6. Do not use anyalcohol or other intoxicant (includes marijuana) during the term of the diversion agreement. Comply with state laws that prohibit the use of intoxicants.You can use:
    • Sacramental wine given or provided as part of a religious rite or service.
    • Alcohol or a controlled substance taken as directed with a valid prescription,
    • A non-prescription drug that contains alcohol if you follow the directions for use that are printed on the label.
  7. Keep the court advised of your current mailing address
  8. Install and use an approved ignition interlock device (IID) in all the vehicles you operate during the term of the diversion agreement when you have driving privileges, if ordered by the court.
Required Booking

If the court grants your petition, you will have to be booked and fingerprinted on the DUII charge, if you have not already been booked and fingerprinted.

Information on Ignition Interlock Devices (IIDs)
  1. You must install and use an approved ignition interlock device (IID) in all vehicles you operate during the term of the diversion period when you have driving privileges if:
    • Your Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) was 0.08 or above,
    • You refused a breath/blood test when requested by the arresting officer
    • Your BAC was greater than 0.00 and less than 0.08 and your blood test showed the presence of a controlled substance or an inhalant, or
    • The court orders you to do so, if your BAC was less than 0.08.
  2. The IID requirement applies in all cases and to all vehicles you operate during the term of the diversion agreement when you have driving privileges, except:
    • If the court finds that you meet requirements for a medical exemption under the rules of the Oregon Department of Transportation.
    • While operating an employer’s vehicle in the course and scope of your employment (contact DMV for more information), or
    • If you submitted to a test of your blood, breath, or urine, and your BAC was less than 0.08, and the court does not order the installation and use of the IID
  3. The IID requirements continue until you submit a certificate to the DMV from the IID provider. The certificate must state that the device did not record a negative report for the last 90 consecutive days of the required installation period.
  4. After 6 months, you can apply for an order vacating (ending) the IID requirement as a condition of diversion if:
    • You provide the court with a certificate from the IID service provider stating that the device has not recorded a negative report for at least 6 consecutive months, and
    • You have been in compliance with any treatment program you were ordered to participate in as a condition of your diversion agreement
Additional Information and Waiver of Rights
  1. The diversion agreement applies only to the DUII charge. If you are charged with other offenses arising from the same incident, the other charges will be prosecuted separately. By entering into a diversion agreement, you give up the right to have the DUII charge decided at the same time as your other charges (former jeopardy – which means the right not to be prosecuted twice for the same offense).
  2. If you have a prior DUII conviction, the Interstate Compact for Adult Offender Supervision rules may prohibit you from leaving the state without permission during the diversion period
  3. Prosecution of the DUII charge will be delayed during the diversion period.
  4. If you successfully complete the diversion agreement, the court may automatically dismiss the DUII charge at the end of one year. If you do not receive notice of dismissal, you must file a motion at the end of the diversion period asking the court to dismiss the DUII charge.
  5. If the court finds that you violated the terms of the diversion agreement or that you were not eligible for diversion, the court will terminate the diversion agreement. The court may hold a hearing where you can “show cause” why the court should not terminate your diversion agreement. The court will send notice of such hearings by regular mail. If you fail to appear in court, the court can terminate the diversion agreement and may issue a warrant for your arrest.
  6. The court will terminate the diversion agreement if at any time during the diversion period the court finds that you failed to fulfill all of the terms of the agreement. Among other things, a new DUII or breaking open container laws will violate the agreement.
  7. If the court terminates your diversion agreement or you fail to fulfill the terms of the agreement by the end of the diversion period, the court will sentence you without a trial.
  8. You may file a motion asking the court to extend the diversion period, but you must file the motion within the last 30 days of your scheduled diversion period. The court may grant an extension if the court finds that you have made a good faith effort to complete the diversion program and that you can complete all remaining conditions within the extension period. The court may grant an extension only once and for not more than 180 days.
  9. If the court denies the diversion petition, the state cannot use your guilty or no contest plea (in the Petition to Plead Guilty or No Contest) when the state continues the prosecution

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