California Veteran’s Court Defense Attorney

The Veteran’s Court or Veteran’s Treatment Court (VTC) is a specially designed court that takes cases involving those people who have served in the military. The primary purpose behind the creation of this particular court is to help veteran felons reintegrate into society and find an alternate solution to incarceration.

In other words, the VTC exists to help veterans whose qualifying conditions have led them to commit a felony or misdemeanor. The court must act pursuant to California Penal Code 1170.9, which says that “qualified veterans” can receive treatment for conditions related to their military service instead of spending time in prison.

There is an important distinction related to Penal Code 1170.9. This alternate method to incarceration is a post-conviction benefit granted to qualified veterans. This means a veteran charged with a felony or misdemeanor has to go through a trial first. Once you have been convicted, Penal Code 1170.9 takes effect.

Not all veterans can qualify for this benefit, however. This means that you will not get this benefit based solely on the fact you are a veteran. To get to the VTC, you must go through a qualifying process, which we discuss below.

Once accepted into the Veteran’s Court, the veteran will have to go through a probationary period. The probation can take several months to complete, and it requires the veteran to comply with several rules. For instance, at first, the veteran will need to go through an evaluation to determine their condition and give the court a better understanding of the situation.

During this first step, the veteran must go to different meetings with their designated probation officer, along with random drug tests. Over the course of 9 to 10 months, the vet will go through similar steps to complete their probation.

Once completed, the court will commence a transition period in which the veteran will be reinstated back to their normal life. While the court will work to help the veteran reach their goals, most of the work must be performed by the veterans themselves. For instance, throughout the entire process, a veteran must be able to show a commitment to completing the VTC process.

Noncompliance with any terms or conditions of the probation can have severe consequences, including the dismissal of the case. This process can be confusing and stressful for those who have never been part of a VTC process. Our Ventura VTC defense attorneys can guide you through the entire process and make sure you understand your rights.