Moore, court officials celebrate program that helps veterans who ran afoul of the law

District Court Senior Judge Halee F. Weinstein stands with William Shelton, one of the veterans honored Tuesday at Baltimore City District Court for completing a Veterans Treatment Court program there. Photo by William J. Ford.

Marine Corps veteran William Shelton, 66, admits it's unusual to call a district court home, but he said that's how he feels after graduating from the Veterans Treatment Court program in Baltimore City District Court.

"When I came to this court, I was a mess. I was basically Humpty Dumpty. This court has helped put Humpty back together," Shelton said Tuesday, standing beside his wife, Deborah. "It sounds wild to say that coming to court is home, but this has been a place where I found family. I found relationships with other veterans."

Shelton was speaking at a Baltimore City District Court program to celebrate the ninth anniversary, and the six most recent graduates, of the court's voluntary program for veterans, which offers voluntary, court-supervised services such as treatment for drug and substance abuse, mental health and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Baltimore program has served more than 100 veterans since its inception in 2015, and is now expanding to serve veterans from four nearby counites: Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard. The expanded program will be called the Central Maryland Regional Veterans Treatment Court and goes into effective immediately.

"As soon as the invitation came in, I knew that I was going to be here for this," Gov. Wes Moore (D), said inside the courtroom at Tuesday's event. "Not only because I wanted to wish everybody here a happy Veteran's Day ... but also just say that this really is an epitome of what right looks like."

Several of those at the event thanked District Court Senior Judge Halee F. Weinstein, an Army veteran herself who founded the Baltimore Veterans Treatment Court program in 2015. Weinstein said 117 veterans had graduated from the program before the six honored Tuesday, and another 25 are currently active in it.

"We only have 23 unsuccessful completions out of all those folks," Weinstein said. "I don't have the exact number. I think what is important to many of us in the criminal justice system is our recidivism rate is far below recidivism rates of folks who are not engaged in the veteran's treatment courts."

According to Maryland Courts, veterans courts are currently available in eight other counties. They include programs in Anne Arundel and Prince George's counties, and a regional veterans court for Frederick and Washington counties. There is also a veterans treatment court in Dorchester County that serves it and three other Lower Shore counties: Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester.

The veteran's treatment court is one of eight problem-solving courts within the Administrative Office of the Courts to handle various services but aren't available within every jurisdiction. Garrett County remains the only jurisdiction without one.

Before the governor and others gave remarks at Tuesday's event, all veterans who attended the ceremony and enrolled in the program raised their right hands and repeated after Weinstein, as they recited the oath each must give when entering the treatment court: "I freely and voluntarily enter the Veterans Treatment Court. I promise to uphold the values instilled in me by the armed forces of the United States. I will carry myself with honor and dignity, out of respect for myself, my country and the memory of those who gave their lives and service to our nation."

Shelton came to the court after serving three months in jail on a handgun charge, when he was granted probation and allowed to enroll in the Veterans Treatment Court in the city.

He said the program has allowed him to connect with resources through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and provided up to 90% of his disability benefits.

Outside the courtroom during a brief interview, Shelton said he recorded 250 community service hours to help train service dogs for disabled veterans. He plans to register as a volunteer with the treatment court.

"After being part of this program, I just can't leave," he said. "There's no programs for veterans, but this one works."