General Sessions Recovery Court Eligibility Criteria
General Sessions Recovery Court follows best practice guidelines from NADCP and TCA codes for the Drug Court Treatment Act of 2003. Please review the eligibility criteria below. Screening includes a review of the instant offense, and the candidate’s NCIC report. Candidates requesting to start Recovery Court under bond conditions rather than a plea of guilt must be approved by General Will Griffith. Drug Court Treatment Act of 2003 § 16-22-113 Each participant in a drug court treatment program shall: (1) Not be a violent offender as defined in § 16-22-103;§ 16-22-103 (4) (A) “Violent offender” means a person who:
(i) Is convicted of an offense [not including prior convictions], during the course of which:
(a) The person carried, possessed or used a firearm or dangerous weapon;
(b) There occurred the death of or serious bodily injury to any person; or
(c) There occurred the use of force against the person of another
(d) Is convicted of domestic assault
(ii) Has one (1) or more prior convictions for a felony crime of violence involving the use or attempted use of force against a person with the intent to cause death or serious bodily harm;
(2) Be substance abusing or chemically dependent, or both; and
(3) Be willing to participate in a treatment program.
Additionally, General Sessions Recovery Court does not accept:
- Candidates with a prior conviction of felon in possession of a weapon or felony drug sale
- “attempt” convictions are still eligible for GS Recovery Court
- Confirmed gang members
- Candidates with holds or pending charges in other jurisdictions
- Candidates convicted of a sex crime or on the Sex Offender Registry
- Candidates currently on parole or released from parole or prison within the preceding 10 years.
* All candidates will be reviewed on a case by case basis for Recovery Court program fitness.*
Should you need additional assistance, please contact Allison Tarpley, Program Manager at AllisonTarpley@jisnashville.gov or call/text: 615-806-9997.
This project is funded under a Grant Contract with the State of Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.
General Sessions Recovery Court does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission to, access to, or operations of its program. For accommodations please call 615-862-8318.