Judge Connie Cleveland’s interview with Jay Thomas on The Jay Thomas Show
(FARGO, ND) – North Dakota lawmakers have been asked to fund a startup court for veterans in Cass County.
The Veterans Treatment Court’s mission is to ‘promote recovery, stability, and accountability for veterans involved in the justice system through supervision and service-oriented mentorship,’ according to the North Dakota Supreme Court’s website. One is currently running in Grand Forks in the Northeast Central Judicial District under Judge Donald Hager.
The court in Grand Forks was approved last legislative session.
“In Cass County, because the VA is here, and because we have veterans that are affected and end up in the criminal justice system because of their service, we thought it was something that was really important and valid,” East Central Judicial District Judge Connie Cleveland said. She says all involved partners have approved the project.
Senate Bill 2002 is the state’s judicial branch appropriations bill.
Last week, the Senate passed an amended judicial branch budget – without funding for the Veteran’s Treatment Court in Cass County. The total funding for the veteran’s treatment court amounted to more than $100,000.
“I’m going to assume that it was a misunderstanding or just a lack of information by the legislators of what the impact would be,” Cleveland said.
She said the funding may be restored by the House when it considers the bill after crossover. The House will first consider the bill on March 6 at 9 a.m. in the House Appropriations Committee – Education and Environment Division.
