The scene throughout Friday afternoon’s second anniversary celebration for Clark County’s Group Court docket was removed from a typical day at court docket. Contributors, service suppliers and county officers shared laughs, tears and hugs.
The feelings got here as individuals mirrored on the distinction the choice court docket has made for these accused of crimes in Vancouver associated to homelessness. The court docket affords these dealing with low-level prices, reminiscent of illegal tenting, the prospect to have their instances dismissed in the event that they have interaction in companies.
David Slaugh turned choked up at instances when he described his struggles with habit for the reason that age of 18 and bouts of homelessness. A number of weeks in the past, the now-47-year-old graduated from Group Court docket. He’s keen, he mentioned, to start working for the outreach companies that helped him get off the road and obtain sobriety.
“I stand tall now, for the first time in my life, drug-free, and I’ve got a big support system,” Slaugh mentioned. “I do appreciate this court system, because I’m telling you, it does work.”
When Slaugh completed talking, he walked again to his seat, the place Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle gave him a giant hug. He cheered for others as they shared the affect this system had on them.
Clark County District Court docket Commissioner Erin Priest mentioned presiding over the court docket is considered one of her favourite issues about her job. She celebrated the dedication of those that full this system and the net of neighborhood they construct.
“We have quite a few participants here who are breaking personal or generational cycles,” Priest mentioned. “We have folks who are continuing services on their own when they are not required by the court to do so. They are inspirational, each and every single one of them.”
Priest leaves her conventional black judicial robes behind when presiding over the neighborhood court docket docket. She doesn’t sit on a bench elevated above the contributors earlier than her. And she or he has a dialog with contributors in a extra casual style than she would throughout a typical court docket listening to.
Kevin McClure, a Vancouver metropolis legal professional, joked that Group Court docket is the one time he involves court docket as a prosecutor hoping all the instances get dismissed.
“We want people to succeed, and we want them to get the treatment that they need. We want them to get the housing that they need. And then we want to say, ‘Congratulations, you’re a success, and your reward is you don’t have a conviction,’ ” McClure mentioned. “And the whole community benefits.”
