With the ever changing times and social climate, Kirkland Municipal Court recently elected to open a ‘Community Court’. The new court will handle certain types of non-violent crimes such as theft, shoplifting, trespassing and other low-level criminal offenses. The focus of the court will be to help defendant’s solve problems, rather than to put them in jail.
Kirkland’s Community Court is modeled after similar courts in-and-around the nation. The purpose of these community courts is to be compassionate when dealing with crimes that are often committed due to life circumstances such as mental illness and/or poverty.
Individuals must qualify for Kirkland’s Community Court. They must meet certain criteria. For example, they can’t have any violent felony convictions in the past five years. If a defendant complies with the terms of Kirkland’s Community Court their case will be dismissed. Community Court participants will also have access to the affiliated Community Resource Center, which provides critical services such as healthcare, education, job training, and behavioral health and substance abuse treatment. Additionally, Community Court participants are also often required to perform community service, which fosters community engagement.
Kirkland’s Community Court is part of the city’s 2021 Community Safety Initiative which is designed to help Kirkland become a more equitable city where Black community members feel safe, respected and systematic and structural racism is eliminated.
If you or a loved one is facing a criminal charge (whether it be in municipal, district our superior court), don’t hesitate to hire a qualified Seattle Criminal Defense Lawyer. The Seattle Criminal Defense Attorneys that make up the criminal defense team of SQ Attorneys are highly qualified and reputable Seattle criminal attorneys that are dedicated to providing top notch, aggressive representation for those arrested or charged for crime all across Western Washington and the Greater Puget Sound region. The team creates success by working with law enforcement and the prosecuting attorney’s office to ensure that all facts and circumstances related to the allegations are considered in creating the fairest, most equitable and just resolution possible in light of all the surrounding circumstances of the given case. So, whether you are cited with an infraction or arrested and/or charged with misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor or a felony, protect yourself … call SQ Attorneys at (206) 441-0900.
