The St. Louis County Veterans Treatment Court is set to celebrate its 10-year anniversary on April 22 at the St. Louis County Courthouse in Duluth. The event will begin at 1:30 p.m.
“Veterans treatment court really is a beacon of hope that offers redemption and support for those who have served our country,” stated Chief Judge Leslie Beiers. “On this 10th anniversary, we celebrate not only the program but the veterans who have completed it and those who have walked alongside them every step of the way.”
The court operates as a voluntary program lasting between 15 to 18 months. A judge leads a team of professionals providing services such as emergency financial assistance, chemical dependency and mental health counseling, employment training, and temporary housing. Participants can be removed from the program if they fail to meet requirements or reoffend.
“It isn’t easy—the court holds you accountable for everything,” commented Warren Lees, a Marine Corps veteran and graduate of the program in October 2022. “There were a few difficult times [but] having a judge speak to you not as a criminal but as someone who needs help, and commending you on your sobriety, made me want to work harder."
Lees attributed his turnaround to the court's support. “I may not have ended up dead, but I might have ended up in prison—that was the next step,” he said.
The initiative began informally in 2014 after local veterans approached Judge Dale Harris about creating a supportive court system for veterans facing legal troubles. By its third year, more than 60 veterans had been assisted. In 2016, it applied for formal recognition through the Veterans Treatment Court Planning Initiative and received training from Justice For Vets before gaining official approval from the Minnesota Judicial Council in 2018.
Since its inception, the court has graduated 29 veterans successfully with partnerships including various county offices, public defenders' offices, regional corrections departments, health services organizations like Minneapolis Veterans Administration and others.
Duluth Mayor Roger Reinert will also deliver remarks during the celebration along with participants, graduates, judges, and program partners at this milestone event held at St. Louis County Courthouse located at 100 N 5th Ave W., Duluth.