The first Community Court in the state begins this Wednesday, January 9, when the Seventeenth Circuit holds its first docket at City Hall in Fort Lauderdale, beginning at 10:00 am. Community Court is a program that addresses the needs of at-large, homeless, petty crime and municipal ordinance offenders. It will focus on the root causes of each defendant’s issues, applying appropriate therapeutic and community service based punishments. Participants must choose to take an active role in their rehabilitation, and have numerous community resources available to help them achieve success.
Eligible crimes to be considered in Community Court include trespassing, disorderly conduct, open container violations, panhandling, etc. Community Court dockets will be heard once a week, every Wednesday, at City Hall. Additional locations may be established in time.