Smith County Commissioners Move Closer to Veterans Court

TYLER — Smith County commissioners have taken another step toward setting up a veterans court. According to a news release, commissioners Tuesday approved a memorandum of understanding between Smith County, the Veterans Affairs North Texas Health Care System, and the VA Regional Office in Waco. Michael Roark, the county’s veterans service officer, said the agreement by each party as to what services will be provided puts officials one step closer to establishing the Smith County Veterans Court Program. The memorandum of understanding states that the parties plan to “provide eligible veterans charged with misdemeanor offenses in Smith County an opportunity to realize better outcomes in their contact with the criminal justice system through utilization of the VA-sponsored rehabilitative programs.”

Planning and development of the Veterans Court Program includes representatives from Smith County Court at Law No. 2, Smith County Veterans Services, and the Smith County District Attorney’s Office. “I anticipate that it is going to be a very good program for the citizens of Smith County,” Roark said. The next step is to have the memorandum of understanding signed by all involved parties and work out details of the court before the program can be implemented, he said.

The Veterans Court is an alternative for certain eligible veterans who, if admitted into the voluntary program, will receive help to get back on the right track if they have run afoul of the law, Roark said. According to Roark, criteria to be eligible for the court include that the veteran must be honorably discharged from military service and charged with a first-offense misdemeanor. Roark added that upon successful completion of the program, which can last six months to two years, veterans can qualify for a full expungement of their criminal and arrest records. County Court at Law No. 2 Judge Randall Rogers has agreed to preside over the veterans court. Even though the court isn’t up and running, Roark is already working with his first eligible defendant on a pretrial diversion program, according to the news release.