Mid-Michigan court holds sobriety graduation ceremony

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – A life-changing milestone was celebrated in a mid-Michigan courtroom Wednesday.

The 55th District Court in Mason held its 60th Sobriety Court graduation. Sobriety Court provides treatment and intense supervision to people with addiction issues who’ve been arrested for drunk driving offenses. It’s a specialty court program, which is an alternative to jail and prison time, saving taxpayer dollars.

With Wednesday’s seven new graduates, Judge Donald Allen’s Sobriety Court has successfully graduated 840 people. But Specialty Court Coordinator Jesse Besonen says it’s not about the numbers.

“We could have five billion and I’d be just as proud if we’d had five. It’s about celebrating people through their journey and their recovery, and setting them up for the next success in their life,” Besonen said.

Judge Allen’s courtroom usually holds around three or four Sobriety Court graduations every year. The next one is already coming up in August.

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