Menu
Vernon County Drug Court hosts its 11th graduation ceremony since 2001
By Lynn A. Wade
Nevada Daily Mail
A crowd of well-wishers filled the Circuit Courtroom at the Vernon County Courthouse Friday night, for the 11th Vernon County Adult Drug Court graduation ceremony.
Two participants earned clean slates on successfully completing the program, joining 25 others who, in the past, also took advantage of the chance to become clean and sober and to have the pending, drug-related charges that led them to the drug court dismissed.
Presiding Judge James Bickel, 28th Circuit Court, who spearheaded the establishment of the program in 2001, said that this drug court graduation ceremony was a "bittersweet" victory, because four others had hoped to have completed the program and to graduate on Friday.
"Addiction doesn't just go away and stay away," he said, but it's the court's hope that the other four will try again and be successful in the future as others have done in the past.
The two graduates, afforded anonymity by the rules of the program, had different degrees of success on their path to graduation.
One had entered the program 26 months ago, charged with possession of methamphetamine. Bickel said that this participant struggled and was sanctioned with penalties three times, but finally achieved the requirements participants must meet and became eligible for graduation.
Another was "motivated to get sober," Bickel said, and as strides were made in that direction, this participant reached out to others in the program to offer support and assistance to them, completing the program in 21 months.
There are a number of requirements that must be met by Drug Court participants. The are expected to tell the truth -- Bickel said that's the "number one rule." They must lead a "clean and sober lifestyle, free from the use of drugs or alcohol," must develop positive relationships, behave in a civil manner, obey the law, dress appropriately for court and other events, keep confidences of others, and more. There are many other requirements which apply.
The graduation ceremony was attended by many family members and friends of the graduates, and as the drug court continues, graduation ceremonies are increasingly attended by other graduates, who offer continuing support to those who are following them through the program. In fact, some of the Drug Court's first graduates were in attendance Friday.
Judge Ron. R. Holliger, Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, spoke to the crowd, directing some of his comments directly to the graduates.
To the crowd, he intimated that he'd seen many cases during his tenure as a circuit judge, estimating that as much as 80 percent of cases involved people with a history of drug or alcohol abuse; and in family court he'd had to terminate the parental rights of many, often due to drug-related activities of the parents -- not the children.
To the graduates, he offered words of advice; firstly, urging them to respect themselves and others; secondly, urging them to think of a person who's supported them in their effort to be sober when times get tough; and thirdly, when things get even tougher, visualize someone who's doubted their ability or sincerity and prove that person wrong.
At the end of the ceremony, graduates received formal dismissal of charges and certificates of graduation.