Problem-solving courts examine the issues that bring litigants into the justice system and respond with innovative approaches, including intensive judicial monitoring and the incorporation of community resources, that are designed to increase offender accountability, enhance community safety and protect the rights of all litigants while improving the outcomes of individual cases.
Adult Treatment Courts
Defendants facing felony or misdemeanor charges where a substance use disorder is a component of their offense may be eligible to participate in an Adult Treatment Court program. Those who successfully complete their treatment court program may have their charges dismissed or reduced or may receive a reduction in their sentence.
In October 2009, a new law, Criminal Procedure Law, Article 216: Judicial Diversion Program for Certain Felony Offenders, authorizes a court to divert eligible felony offenders into substance abuse treatment programs.
All Adult Treatment Courts in the Sixth District have a specialized track for DWAI/DWI offenders who require treatment for alcohol and/or substance use disorder and court monitoring.
Locations - Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Madison, Otsego, Schuyler, Tioga, Tompkins
Domestic Violence and Integrated Domestic Violence Courts
Domestic Violence Courts
Domestic Violence Courts feature a dedicated judge and court staff with specialized training on issues that uniquely impact domestic violence cases and provide consistent monitoring and judicial supervision to enhance offender accountability.
Locations - Binghamton City Court, Cortland City Court, Elmira City Court
Integrated Domestic Violence Courts
Integrated Domestic Violence Courts use a “one family-one judge” model to bring multiple criminal, family, and matrimonial proceedings, involving the same parties, before a single judge. This model provides consistency and coherence for those impacted by domestic violence and resolves the problem of parties having to manage multiple cases in multiple courthouses.
Locations - Broome, Chenango, Cortland, Tompkins
Both types of courts emphasize a coordinated response to domestic violence that highlights increased collaboration between the court system and community based social services.
Family Treatment Courts (FTC)
Family Treatment Courts (FTCs) use a family-centered approach with court intervention by bringing together child welfare services, substance use and mental health treatment agencies, family services, and other community services to meet the needs of children, parents, and their family members to ensure improved outcomes. When a neglect petition is filed in family court with substance use identified as a contributing factor the parents (respondents) can choose to enter FTC.
The goal within FTCs is to provide safe environments for children through intensive case management, more frequent judicial monitoring, responsive services, supports and interventions by utilizing a multi-disciplinary team. The team will facilitate parenting time, promote access to evidence-based parenting services, provide support to secure safe housing, fast track treatment referrals and coordinate adequate medical care. FTCs are more effective than traditional family court processing by reducing children’s time out of the home and reunifying families.
Locations - Broome, Delaware, Madison, Otsego, Tompkins
Mental Health Courts (MHC)
New York State’s Mental Health Courts (MHCs) seek to improve safety, court operations, and the well-being of justice-involved individuals living with mental illness by linking them with court- supervised, community-based treatment. Eligible defendants are those living with a mental illness that is related to their current criminal justice involvement and whose participation in the MHC will not create an increased risk to public safety.
Locations - Elmira City Court, Ithaca City Court
Overdose Intervention Courts (OIC)
Overdose Intervention Courts have become an opportunity to address this public health crisis and prevent overdose deaths by rapidly linking participants to evidence-based treatment including Medication for Addiction Treatment (MAT), Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) and other recovery support services.
New York State OIC’s rely on immediacy, evidence-based treatment, frequent judicial supervision, and wrap-around services to prevent overdose death. The process of initial interview, arraignment, screenings, and transfer to treatment is completed quickly after an arrest. The OIC model was developed as a pre-plea, voluntary model that would serve as a medical triage for any offender at high risk of overdose. Upon stabilization, defendants could continue into a treatment court if they had significant legal leverage or pursue a disposition and be encouraged to remain engaged in treatment and recovery supportive services.
Locations - Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware
Sex Offender Courts
Sex Offense Courts in New York State seek to enhance public safety by preventing further
victimization. Hallmarks of these courts include early intervention, post-disposition monitoring, consistency, and accountability.
Location - Tompkins
Veterans Treatment Courts (VTC)
These courts offer a solution by connecting justice-involved veterans to appropriate services in a court setting, surrounded by an interdisciplinary team. These include the judge, court staff, prosecutors, treatment/service providers, defense attorneys, probation, law enforcement, volunteer veteran peer mentors, and representatives from the U.S. Department of Veterans Services, all of whom work collaboratively to help veterans.
It is important to note that VTCs accept veterans with all variations of military discharge.