Kentucky Court of Justice – Specialty Courts

The Department of Specialty Courts is a subdivision of the Kentucky Court of Justice that handles alternatives to incarceration. The purpose of Specialty Courts is to oversee cases involving nonviolent charges related to chemical dependence, criminal matters due to mental health crisis and veterans related affairs. The judge considers the nature of the offense and a team identifies potential alternatives to jail time, such as mandated time in an approved treatment center and regular drug testing. Specialty Courts intervene with cases in which individuals have the opportunity to defer incarceration in favor of targeted treatment, probation or court supervision as a means to reduce incarceration rates and help lessen the impact of nonviolent criminal charges long term. Those eligible for their case to be heard in the Specialty Courts devision enter treatment and receive case management at no personal cost as a means to further assist individuals without imposing additional debt or hardship.