The Sixth Circuit Veterans Court is a diversion program offered to military veteran offenders that have qualifying criminal charges. This program is an alternative to the traditional criminal justice system and is designed specifically to meet the individualized needs of each participating veteran. Along with the goal to resolve the veteran participant’s criminal charge(s), alcohol or drug use, and mental illness, the coinciding goal is to resolve any other problems the veteran may be facing such as medical problems, homelessness, basic educational deficits, unemployment, family troubles such as domestic violence, and the underlying reoccurring effects of war-time trauma.
The Sixth Circuit Veterans Court program consists of four phases. Each phase is approximately three months, with the exception of the final phase which is six months. The veterans court program takes eighteen to twenty-four months to complete.
Eligibility:
1. Must be charged with a crime in Chester, Fairfield, or Lancaster County.
2. Must be a veteran, eligible or ineligible for VA benefits.
3. Must plea to a non-violent crime to enter the program.
4. Must not have a prior conviction for a violent crime within ten (10) years.
5. Must be assessed be the Department of Mental Health or other entity, if needed, and deemed appropriate for the program by the Sixth Circuit Veterans Court Program staff.
Procedure:
The veteran will be referred to the program coordinator by the prosecutor, defense attorney, law enforcement officer, or other program team member.
The veteran participant will meet with the veterans court coordinator to have an intake interview to fill out the application and review the terms and obligations of the program.
The veterans court team will make a determination of acceptance to the program.
The veteran participant will plea guilty to their pending charge(s) before a Circuit Court Judge. The judge will impose a sentence, but the sentence will be suspended upon successful completion of the Sixth Circuit Veterans Court program.
The veteran is then required to make regular appearances before the veterans court judge. The team conducts staffing prior to these hearings and makes recommendations concerning the veteran participant. The veteran participant may be required to submit drug and alcohol testing, attend treatment, or complete assignments.
Successful completion of the program will result in graduation. Upon graduation, the veteran participant’s charges are dismissed and eligible for expungement.
If the veteran participant does not successfully complete the program, the Judge may uphold the original sentence and the participant may be incarcerated.
Terms and requirements are subject to change without notice.
Get in touch
Melissa Payne, Coordinator
melissa.payne@scsolicitor6.org
Chester, Fairfield, and Lancaster
(803)899-9654
Chester
P. O. Box 728
140 Main Street
Chester, South Carolina 29706
Phone: (803) 377-1141
Fairfield
P. O. Box 1085
115 S. Congress Street
Winnsboro, South Carolina 29180
Phone: (803) 712-1735
Lancaster
P. O. Box 607
104 North Main Street
Lancaster, South Carolina 29721
Phone: (803) 416-9367