Circuit Court for Harford County now accepting qualified defendants for new
adult drug court

BEL AIR, Md. - The Circuit Court for Harford County has launched its first adult drug treatment court and the program is currently looking for qualified participants.

Harford County Circuit Court Judge Kevin J. Mahoney spearheaded the launch of the program and will preside over the docket.

“A significant majority of the crimes we see inside the courtroom are fueled by addiction,” Judge Mahoney said. “Due to limited resources in the community, we saw a direct need for this in Harford County.”

Once operational, the adult drug treatment court program will meet twice a month to review new applicants and existing participants, as well as provide status reviews of assigned cases. Multiple organizations and agencies will be participating in the drug court, including the Harford County Office of State’s Attorney, Harford County Public Defender’s Office, and members of local health departments, law enforcement, and parole and probation teams.

Qualified defendants are first time offenders, repeat offenders, or those who have violated their probation in an existing case. They also need to be a Harford County resident, cannot be charged with a violent crime, cannot have pending charges in another jurisdiction, and must be deemed clinically qualified for the program by a health professional.

“This is designed and intended to assist those defendants with serious drug problems,” said Judge Mahoney. “Our goal is to build a network and provide resources to help get people back on their feet. It’s another tool in the toolbox.”

The new drug court will accept referrals from law enforcement agencies, the state’s attorney’s office, detention centers, lawyers, and other judges.

“There is a huge push for drug courts, not only in the state of Maryland but also across the entire country,” said Gray Barton, Director of the Maryland Judiciary’s Office of Problem-Solving Courts. “We have the ability to build this new drug court from the ground up and help those who need it most.”

May is National Drug Court Month, according to the National Association of Drug Court Professionals. The addition of the Harford County Circuit Court Drug Court brings the total number of drug courts in Maryland to 34.

For more information, contact Tara Lathrop, Administrator for the Office of Drug Control Policy with the Harford County Department of Community Services at [email protected] or 410-638-3333.

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