Four veterans are set to be honored by the District Court in Baltimore City for successfully completing the Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) program. The graduation ceremony will take place on Tuesday, November 16, with District Court Administrative Judge Halee F. Weinstein presiding over the event.
Alejandro Villanueva, Offensive Tackle for the Baltimore Ravens and a U.S. Army Ranger veteran, will deliver the keynote address. The ceremony will include a small gathering of judges, court staff, family members, friends, prosecutors, and community partners to celebrate the graduates' accomplishments.
Judge Weinstein established VTC in 2015 as a voluntary treatment-based program supervised by the court. It aims to assist veterans charged with misdemeanors or concurrent jurisdiction felonies in the District Court. To date, approximately 97 veterans have completed this program. The mission of VTC is to enhance public safety and serve the community by providing a coordinated treatment response for veterans dealing with substance use disorders and/or mental health issues.
The event is scheduled for Tuesday at 1:30 p.m., with media photo opportunities available from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., at Baltimore City District Court's Eastside District Courthouse in Courtroom 7. Due to COVID-19 protocols, attendees must wear masks and maintain social distancing.
Notable attendees include Chief Judge Joseph M. Getty of the Court of Appeals of Maryland, Chief Judge John P. Morrissey of the District Court of Maryland, and representatives from United Way of Central Maryland and Warrior Canine Connection.
For those interested in attending or seeking further information about the event, contact details have been provided through Maryland Judiciary's Government Relations and Public Affairs office.