Judge Perkins Appears Before Flagler Commission in Recognition of Drug Court Support from County

Circuit Judge Terence Perkins made a rare appearance before the Flagler County Commission this morning to accept a proclamation marking Drug Court and “Problem-Solving Court Month,” introduce many of the administrative participants of drug court to commissioners, and, as long as he was at it, invite Commission Chairman Andy Dance to be the next Drug Court graduation speaker.




Drug Court is only one of the state’s problem-solving courts intended to divert individuals from more strictly criminal prosecutions. Problem-solving courts offer diversionary programs that, when successfully completed, can lead to charges being dropped and records cleaned up to a point. The Aside from drug courts, there are mental health, veterans and early childhood courts. Volusia and St. Johns have veterans courts.

Flagler County does not, but has a very active drug court, currently with some 22 participants–many charged with drug offenses, some charged with child abuse, theft, drinking and driving. The rigorous program, which demands adherence to strict rules of behavior and passing a river’s worth of urinalysis tests, among other requirements, can lead to successful graduations for most participants. Since the first Drug Court was called in Flagler in 2006, 232 people have graduated, 75 percent with no new felony charges and 80 percent with no new drug charges, according to the proclamation read today.

“We’re effectuating the policy that you put in place,” Perkins told the commissioners as he stood with four of the people who make drug court work. “It’s your encouragement your enthusiastic encouragement, quite frankly, and your support that makes it possible. We do it because of what you provide to us. So I want to thank you for your vision in that regard.”




Perkins wanted to put faces to the names of the close-knit community that constitutes drug court’s administration. With him were Spencer O’Neal of the Public Defender’s office, since Bill Partington couldn’t be there, Shirley Olson of court administration’s liaison to the Seventh Judicial Circuit (Flagler is part of that circuit, which includes Volusia, St. Johns and Putnam counties), and Drug Court Coordinator John Dioguardi, “probably the heart of drug court,” in the judge’s description of the man everyone calls Mr. D. “He’s the one that shows up every morning and does the random UAs [urinalyses], all of that,” Perkins said. “One of the punishments we used to have for drug court is they have to walk with Mr. D., because he would walk about three miles at lunch every day.”

Others he named could not be there, among them Kimberly Clark, who’s in charge of drug court across the circuit, Assistant State Attorney Jaime Telfer, the State Attorney’s Office’s designee for drug court, and personnel from probation, from the clerk’s office, and the Sheriff’s Office. Those are often the workhorses of a system often more thankless than grateful, an obscurity the judge hoped to dim with a little gleam today.

“We couldn’t do drug court without the sheriff’s department and the services that they provide, not just in the courtroom and security and things of that nature, but also attending our meetings for organizational purposes, security purposes, and also making recommendations with regard to our process and procedure in that way,” the judge said, as Sheriff Rick Staly listened in from a couple of rows back. (The Sheriff and Chief Daniel Engert were also at the center of a proclamation for National Correctional Officers and Employees Week.)




“We also have treatment that’s provided through drug court,” Perkins said, referring to Dawn Millspaugh of EPIC Behavioral Health, who oversees treatment. “All of you have been to drug court, you’ve been to our graduations. That’s the ceremonial side of drug court,” Perkins said. “Honestly, the magic happens in treatment, and that’s what she does. Our success is directly related to how successful she is.”

All the county commissioners have been to drug court graduations, most have been speakers. Perkins noticed that Andy Dance, the current chair, has not. He slipped the invitation to Dance: “I think I have one graduation before my retirement, so perhaps you might consider doing that,” Perkins, who is retiring in September, said. It’s the sort of invitation no one can refuse, whatever may be on their calendar, and Dance seemed to know it.

“You know, you said a lot of things about everybody up there but you didn’t say anything about yourself,” Commissioner Don O’Brien told the judge. “I’ve been to a lot of the graduations as the other commissioners have, but the program really has been just amazing under under your guidance and tutelage.” It was obvious from graduation ceremonies, even to those who don’t participate on a regular basis, “and you observe your compassion and caring for all of those participants in the program,” O’Brien said, “it’s very obvious, and our county’s the better for it.”