Community Court is a joint effort between Clark County District Court and the city of Vancouver to connect individuals cited for certain offenses with resources and set them on a path to avoid future involvement with the criminal justice system

VANCOUVER – Local leaders last week celebrated the new location of the Clark County Community Court with a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house. After a successful first year, Community Court moved to its new location at 5107 E. Fourth Plain Blvd. after outgrowing its original location at The Recovery Café also located on Fourth Plain Blvd. 

Community Court is a joint effort between Clark County District Court and the city of Vancouver to connect individuals cited for certain offenses with resources and set them on a path to avoid future involvement with the criminal justice system. Eligible offenses are often associated with being homeless such as unlawful camping, urinating in public, criminal trespass, park curfew violations and others. 

Unlike a traditional court process, Community Court is a more informal setting where the defense and prosecuting attorneys and the judge work together with social services providers to provide needed services to the defendant while still holding them accountable for their citations. Often, Community Court participants need services such as housing, healthcare, valid identification, and mental health therapy. Participants who successfully complete the conditions of the program will have their original charges dropped. Those who are unsuccessful are required to return to a regular court process. 

“Community court offers the best of community resources to turn lives around and represents hope for those brought before it,” said Clark County Council Chair Gary Medvigy who attended the ribbon cutting ceremony. “These collaborative efforts are an invaluable investment in public safety for the community as recidivism will be directly reduced, while helping to return participants to productive citizens.”

“Community Court – a part of Clark County District Court – started just last year and has already made a big impact,” said Court Commissioner Todd George. “We’ve seen people go from hopelessness to treatment and housing. It’s not magic, and some people need more help than others, but it has been an undeniable success.”

Learn more about Community Court on the county’s website at https://clark.wa.gov/district-court/community-court. 

Information provided by Clark Co. WA Communications.