For veterans
The Wisconsin court system recognizes that veterans in the criminal justice system face unique issues. Developing strategies that will be effective with this population requires commitment, understanding, creativity and a willingness to build partnerships. Courts across Wisconsin are piloting programs designed to provide better, more effective solutions for veterans in the criminal justice system. Here is a brief history of the effort, along with a county-by-county list of programs.
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Chief Judge Benjamin D. Proctor (now retired) explains the goals of the Chippewa Valley Veterans Treatment Court at a January 2011 ceremony to open the new court program. |
Connecting veterans with services
The courts have an important role in helping to connect veterans in crisis with information on services to which they are entitled. When a veteran needs housing support, mental health services, treatment for addiction, job training or other help, the court may work with local experts including County Veterans Services Officers (CVSOs) and Tribal Veterans Services Officers. In January 2009, the Wisconsin Supreme Court's Planning and Policy Advisory Committee (PPAC) began a concerted effort to help connect the state's circuit court judges with these officers to ensure that veterans who find themselves in court are connected with important resources. The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs' directory of CVSOs is available here (external link). The courts also work with Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists (VJOs). The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has asked that each VA medical center designate a VJO to help veterans with case management and serve as liaisons with local justice system partners. In Wisconsin, Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists are available at the VA medical centers in Madison, Milwaukee and Tomah, as well as in bordering states. Current VJOSs are: Edward Zapala (Madison), Abigail Ziebell (Milwaukee), Garrett Hebel (Tomah), Faith Weiss (Minneapolis), Michael Matwyuk (Iron Mountain, Mich.) More information is available on the Department of Veteran's Affairs site (external link).
History of the Wisconsin Veterans Court Initiative
The development of court programs for Wisconsin veterans began when the Office of the State Public Defender and the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs received a federal grant in 2008 to bring Judge Robert Russell - who started the nation's first veterans treatment court in Buffalo, N.Y. - to Wisconsin to tell his story. A short time later, a delegation from Wisconsin visited Judge Russell's court in New York.
Soon after that visit, a conference entitled Leave No One Behind: Veterans in the Criminal Justice System was held in June 2009. The Wisconsin court system joined the State Public Defender, Department of Corrections, Department of Justice, Veterans Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs in co-sponsoring the conference, which brought together judges, prosecutors, public defenders, treatment providers and County Veterans Services Officers from across Wisconsin. Participants developed plans for building specialty court programs in the state. More than 100 people at sites in Madison, Milwaukee and Tomah participated.
Since then, eight court-connected programs covering 15 counties have been developed.
County by county: Court programs for Wisconsin veterans
Brown County: See Northeast Wisconsin Veterans Treatment Court
Chippewa County: See Chippewa Valley Veterans Treatment Court
Chippewa Valley Veterans Treatment Court
In January 2011, the Chippewa Valley Veterans Treatment Court opened in Eau Claire. The court will serve Chippewa, Dunn and Eau Claire counties, and will focus on addressing alcohol, drug and mental health issues associated with criminal behavior within the military veteran population. Chief Judge Benjamin D. Proctor - who was honored as the State Bar Judge of the Year in 2009, in part for his work with veterans - was the first presiding judge in this court. Judge William M. Gabler currently presides.
Door County: See Northeast Wisconsin Veterans Treatment Court
Dunn County: See Chippewa Valley Veterans Treatment Court
Eau Claire County: See Chippewa Valley Veterans Treatment Court
Iron County Veterans Court
In April 2010, Wisconsin opened its second veterans treatment court program. The Iron County Veterans Court operates under the direction of Judge Patrick J. Madden, who has served on the bench for over 25 years. The primary focus is on drug or alcohol related crimes or other misdemeanors. Iron County feels that these types of crimes may be alleviated by addressing the underlying issues unique to veterans. Each veteran in the program is assigned a mentor; the mentor program is managed by County Veterans Services Officer Erick Nasi. Contact: Erick Nasi, Veterans Services Officer, (715) 561-2190.
Kewaunee County: See Northeast Wisconsin Veterans Treatment Court
La Crosse County Veterans Court Initiative
On Veterans Day 2010, after more than a year of preparation and planning, the La Crosse County Veterans Court Initiative opened its doors. It was the third program of its kind in Wisconsin. The program focuses on early identification of veterans in the criminal justice system to facilitate connection with available services as quickly as possible. The program also makes use of trained mentors. Presiding is Judge Todd W. Bjerke, a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve who was first elected to the bench in La Crosse in 2007. Contact: Thom Downer, (608) 790-7368.
Marinette County: See Northeast Wisconsin Veterans Treatment Court
Milwaukee Veterans Program
In Milwaukee County, the Wisconsin State Public Defender's Office, the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office and the Veterans Administration have developed a multi-faceted program to serve veterans involved in the criminal justice system.
Veterans are identified during the jail booking process and connected with the State Public Defender and the VA. Both organizations screen these veterans to determine eligibility for services. Beginning soon, veterans will also be screened for eligibility for diversion and deferred prosecution programs, which offer an opportunity to have a charge dismissed if the offender abides by a certain set of conditions. The Veterans Justice Outreach Worker (VJO) monitors each offender's progress. Contact: VJO Abigail Crevier-Ziebell, (414) 414-384-2000 ext. 44497.
The Milwaukee program also matches veterans with mentors through a non-profit veterans services group called Dryhootch. Mentors (who are also veterans) meet with the veteran between court appearances and report to the court on the veteran's progress. Dryhootch also offers a Family Legal Clinic where veterans and their families can receive free legal advice on non-criminal matters such as divorce, child support, visitation and more. The clinic runs in the evening on the first and second Thursday of each month. For more information, visit the Dryhootch site (external link) or call (414) 763-2785.
Northeast Wisconsin Veterans Treatment Court
The Northeast Wisconsin Veterans Treatment Court is a collaborative problem-solving court that opened in March 2012. The program pairs a circuit court judge, representatives of the Veterans Health Administration and Veterans Benefit Administration, the District Attorney's Office, the Public Defender's Office, veterans service organizations, the U.S. and Wisconsin Departments of Veterans Affairs and many other community partners. It assist veterans who accept responsibility for qualifying felony or misdemeanor offenses committed within a group of counties in northeast Wisconsin (the Eighth Judicial District). The program also offers assistance with treatment, rehabilitation, employment and housing. The court serves Brown, Door, Kewaunee, Marinette, Oconto, Outagamie and Waupaca counties (Waupaca County also has a stand-alone veterans court program). Contacts: Beau Liegeois, Brown County assistant district attorney, (920) 448-4190; Jerry Polus, Brown County veterans service officer, (920) 448-4451; Tom Hinz, mentor and resource coordinator, (920) 606-2012.
Oconto County: See Northeast Wisconsin Veterans Treatment Court
Outagamie County: See Northeast Wisconsin Veterans Treatment Court
Pierce County Veterans Court
The Pierce County Veterans Court is a post-plea program dealing with both felonies and misdemeanors. To qualify for the program, the veteran must be in need of services offered through the local (Twin Cities) VA (for example, services related to drug and alcohol addiction, mental health, anger management). Each applicant is screened by the Vets Court team, which consists of the judge (a U.S. Air Force veteran), an assistant district attorney, a public defender, a probation agent, a law enforcement representative, the court coordinator and a representative of the VA. Once accepted, the veteran goes through a four-phase program with weekly court appearances in Phase 1. The court requires random drug testing and -- if the veteran is able -- work and/or community service. The program also provides participants with mentors. Contacts: Veterans Services Officer Dave Till, (715) 273-6463; Volunteer Coordinator Donna Swanson (715) 273-3226; and Judge Joseph Boles, (715) 273-6460.
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Rock County Circuit Court Judge James P. Daley congratulates Casey Johnson of Beloit, Wisconsin’s first Veterans Treatment Court graduate. Photo courtesy of the Janesville Gazette |
Rock County Veterans Treatment Court Program
In September 2009, Wisconsin opened its first veterans treatment court program. The program operates in Rock County under the direction of Judge James P. Daley, a brigadier general in the Wisconsin Army National Guard and decorated Marine veteran of the Vietnam War who has served on the Rock County Circuit Court for 21 years. The court serves veterans who are charged with crimes and who have mental health issues. Each participant is matched with a mentor of similar military background. Prior to participating, each mentor completes a training program. The court has now expanded to accept cases diverted from nearby counties.
Judge Daley and two members of the veterans court team recently explained during a WisconsinEye interview (external link) how the Rock County veterans court operates and why it is significant for veterans and the court system.
Waupaca County Veterans Assistance Program
In Waupaca County, defense attorneys, prosecutors and judges working with treatment providers at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King have established a legal assistance program for veterans. The program works with law enforcement to emphasize early identification of veterans. Those identified are referred to the Veterans Assistance Program for assessment. In appropriate cases, deferred prosecution agreements are sought to give the veteran a chance to obtain needed services. Legal assistance is provided pro bono through local attorneys. Contacts: Atty. Tom Maroney, (715) 258-5990; Steve House, Veterans Assistance Program, (715) 256-1118.
Statewide programs for veterans in court
Wisconsin Veterans Intervention Program
The Wisconsin Veterans Intervention Program (WI-VIP) is an initiative of the State Public Defender's Office. The program encourages creation of veterans court programs in Wisconsin and supports them once they are established. WI-VIP also works with the Department of Corrections to identify veterans currently in an institution or on probation/parole in order to ensure that each veteran is connected with available services. Contact: Peter Anderson, liaison for WI-VIP in the Wisconsin's State Public Defender's Office, (608) 267-0581.
Legal services for veterans
There are programs to help Wisconsin veterans and active-duty servicemembers who need legal advice. The Marquette University Law School Program, SAVLAW (Servicemembers and Veterans Legal Assistance for Wisconsin) features a website (external link) on which servicemembers can post requests and lawyers can volunteer.
A program called Dryhootch offers a Family Legal Clinic where veterans and their families can receive free legal advice on non-criminal matters such as divorce, child support, visitation and more. The clinic runs in the evening on the first and second Thursday of each month. For more information, visit the Dryhootch site (external link) or call (414) 763-2785.
The American Bar Association Military Pro Bono Project (external link) connects active-duty military personnel to free legal assistance with civil (non-criminal) legal problems. Referrals are made only by military legal assistance (JAG) attorneys.
This overview will continually grow and change. We encourage those who have additions and updates to contact us at (608) 266-1298.