Tarrant County DIRECT Court Program

By Benson Varghese

Have you been arrested and charged with a drug offense in Tarrant County, but are ready to live drug-free?  The Tarrant County DIRECT program can help you obtain and maintain sobriety while favorably resolving your criminal case and helping keep your record clean.

What is Tarrant County DIRECT Court?

DIRECT stands for Drug Impact Rehabilitation Enhanced Comprehensive Treatment. It is a drug court program for non-violent offenders. A person who is accepted into the DIRECT Drug Court Program will plead guilty and receive deferred adjudication or straight probation for a minimum of two years. They will go through an intensive probation, but if they successfully complete DIRECT, their case will dismissed or their probation will be shortened.

DIRECT in Tarrant County focuses on high-risk, high-needs individuals.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements for DIRECT?

The program offers offenders intensive treatment with intensive, judicial supervision. To be eligible for the program, applicants must be struggling with a significant drug problem over a long period of time and have a criminal history with two or fewer convictions.

What Type of Charges Are Accepted for DIRECT Court?

DIRECT Court generally does not accept criminal charges involving weapons or applicants with a history of assaultive offenses. Eligible offenses for admission may include:

• Criminal charges with Possession of Controlled Substances under 10g/Possession of Marijuana under 1lb.
• Offenses where the use of alcohol or controlled substance is suspected to have significantly contributed to the commission of the offense if:
  • The offense did not involve carrying, possession or using a firearm or other dangerous weapon;
  • The offense did not involve the use of force against the person of another; or
  • The offense did not involve the death of, or serious bodily injury to, any person.

What is the Application Process for DIRECT Court?

Applicant will be screened by DIRECT staff to determine if the pre-trial diversion or post-plea program is the best option. You must also provide a clean urinalysis upon admission.

What are the Conditions of DIRECT?

To successfully complete DIRECT, a number of conditions must be followed, including:

• Attending Narcotics Anonymous and/or Alcoholics Anonymous
• Submitting to random drug analysis and hair testing
• Attending all therapeutic rehabilitative activities
• Maintaining employment/enrollment in school
• Abiding by a curfew

What Are the Costs of DIRECT Court?

• $1000 fee with total expenditure up to $3,500.
• Program fee may be paid out over time.
• Lab fees must be paid at the time of the test.
• If the program is successfully completed, the remainder of the fee may be waived.
• Scholarships for program fee cost are available.

What Are the Benefits of DIRECT Court?

The benefits of DIRECT are far-reaching. The biggest benefit for applicants is getting sober and avoiding penitentiary time. If applicant plead to deferred adjudication, he or she may also be eligible for non-disclosure.

Our team of Fort Worth criminal defense attorneys can help if you are facing a drug charge in Tarrant County. We have helped numerous clients get into the DIRECT court program and change their lives. Call us today for a free consultation with an experienced drug crimes lawyer at 817-203-2220.