Middlesex Vicinage Recovery Court to Celebrate 26th Graduation

The Middlesex Vicinage will hold its 26th recovery court graduation on Wednesday, Dec. 11 at 10 a.m. in the jury assembly room of the Middlesex County Courthouse, 56 Paterson St., New Brunswick.

Criminal Presiding Judge Colleen Flynn will welcome the graduating class and give introductory remarks. Superior Court Judge Robert J. Jones, who presides over the vicinage’s recovery court, will officiate and speak about the long-term success of the program. Carlos R., a 2020 recovery court graduate, will give the keynote address.

The Judiciary’s recovery court program operates within the Superior Court to address nonviolent drug addicted offenders. The program requires completion of several phases of intensive drug and alcohol treatment and recovery. Recovery court programs are rigorous, requiring intensive probation supervision, treatment, frequent drug testing, and regularly scheduled court appearances.

Since the vicinage’s recovery court program began in September 2004, more than 640 participants have graduated and more than 33 children of participants have been born drug-free. There currently are more than 240 participants in the program.

With judges, managers, Judiciary staff, program participants, treatment providers, graduates’ families and friends in attendance, the ceremony will be livestreamed to the public on the New Jersey Courts channels under Middlesex.