Collaborative Justice Courts

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Collaborative Justice Courts, also known as problem-solving courts, promote accountability by combining judicial supervision with rehabilitation services that are rigorously monitored and focused on recovery.


Collaborative Justice Courts are distinguished by the following elements:

  • A problem-solving focus
  • A team approach to decision making
  • Integration of social and treatment services
  • Judicial supervision of the treatment process
  • Community outreach
  • Direct interaction between defendants and judge
  • A proactive role for the judge inside and outside the courtroom

Contra Costa County Collaborative Justice Courts

Veterans Treatment Court/Military Diversion

A Veterans Treatment Court/Military Diversion is a collaborative justice court intended to serve veterans who are involved with the justice system and whose court cases are affected by issues such as sexual trauma, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, or mental health problems relating to service in the United States military. The goal of this specialty court is to help participants avoid recidivism by addressing the root causes of their behaviors and by reintegrating them into their communities with support. These courts promote treatment, sobriety, recovery, and stability through a coordinated response involving cooperation and collaboration with the District Attorney’s Office, Criminal Defense, the Probation Department, the County Veterans Service Office, the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CDVA), health-care networks, employment and housing agencies, community based organizations, volunteer mentors who are also veterans, and family support organizations.

Services provided in the Veterans Treatment Court/Military Diversion include one-on-one judicial supervision, group evaluation by the collaborative team, probation supervision, employment and housing assistance, treatment and medication monitoring, counseling and mentoring. A Veterans Treatment Court/Military Diversion can help veterans involved in the criminal justice system reclaim their lives and repair the collateral damage to their families caused by their service connected sexual trauma, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, or mental health problems. In various jurisdictions throughout the country, Veterans Treatment Courts/Military Diversion have been shown to:
  • Reduce recidivism
  • Increase participant sobriety
  • Increase compliance with court-ordered treatment and other conditions
  • Improve access to VA benefits and services
  • Foster improved family relationships and social support connections
  • Improve life stability

One unique feature of this program is that each veteran who is accepted into the program, is assigned a veteran mentor. The mentor provides outside support for a struggling Veteran and helps to make sure he or she attends the required court sessions, job interviews, probation meetings, and other requirements of the program. In addition, the veteran mentor makes himself or herself available 24 hours a day, seven days per week, as support for the veteran.

Veterans Treatment Court/Military Diversion Program Criteria and Referral Guide:
  1. Criteria for referral to Veterans Treatment Court
    1. Veteran
    2. VA eligibility
    3. Ineligible offenses (listed in Pen. Code § 1170.9):
      1. subdivision (c) of Section 42002.1 of the Vehicle Code;
      2. Pen. Code § 261.5(d) felony;
      3. Pen. Code § 286(c);
      4. Pen. Code § 288.
      5. Pen. Code § Section 287(c) [or former Pen. Code § 288a];
      6. Pen. Code § 288.5.
      7. Pen. Code § 289(j).
      8. An offense carrying the requirement to register pursuant to Pen. Code § 290.
    4. Criminal history
    5. Treatment assessment & prior efforts at treatment
    6. Willingness to commit to treatment and the program
    7. Ability to comply with terms and conditions of the program
    **The final decision to accept or reject a participant will be made by Judge Campins.**
  2. Defendants being referred to VTC should be calendared as follows:
    1. One Friday per month (check with D10 for schedule)
    2. Department 10
    3. 10:00 a.m.
  3. Custodial Status – Felonies
    1. At least one week prior to the hearing date, counsel must file documents outlining the defendant’s eligibility and suitability for diversion. Those documents must contain the following information:
      1. Brief description of the defendant’s background regarding military service
      2. Explanation of the nexus between the defendant’s eligible condition and the military service.
      3. If necessary, a request for the court to seal any confidential health information from the public record.
      4. DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) unless the defendant has already established Veteran’s Administration (VA) healthcare eligibility.
    2. At the hearing, additional argument will be heard from the defendant and the District Attorney. The court will also consider information provided from the Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) Specialist.
  4. Filing Process
    1. If a defendant is being considered for referral to VTC and has charges that would require him/her to remain in custody until the next court hearing, calendar on the next regularly scheduled calendar.
    2. File the necessary paperwork from the documents below in advance of the hearing.
    3. Contact Kelli Nance (contact below) to discuss the veteran with her so that she may provide the Court with background to assist the Court in its findings.

Details and documents related to Veterans Treatment Court/Military Diversion:

Upcoming Court Dates for Veteran’s Treatment Court/Military Diversion: (Defendant is ordered to appear at 10 am.)

Zoom Link for Department 10 ~ Honorable Julia Campins

  • May 17
  • June 28
  • July 12
  • August 9
  • September 13
  • October 11
  • November 8
  • December 13
Future Court Dates for Veterans Treatment Court/Military Diversion 2025.
  • January 10
  • February 7
  • March 7
  • April 11
  • May 9
  • June 13
  • July 11
  • August 8
  • September 12
  • October 10
  • November 7
  • December 12

Contacts for Veterans Treatment Court/Military Diversion:

Contra Costa Public Defender’s Office
Shannon Mastromarco: Shannon.Mastromarco@pd.cccounty.us

Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office
Derek Butts: DButts@contracostada.org

Veterans Justice Outreach
Kelli Nance: Kelli.Nance@va.gov

Contra Costa County Probation Department
Caitlin Herrick; Caitlin.Herrick@probation.cccounty.us

Contra Costa County Veterans Services
James Lyons: james@vs.cccounty.us

Community Homeless Court

Homeless Court is an alternative to the traditional criminal justice court system. The Homeless Court program is focused on helping individuals with a history of homelessness clear fines for infractions. Clients are rewarded retroactively for the work they have already done toward clearing the fines on their tickets. Court sessions are held at the Concord Adult Homeless Shelter. For more information, go to:

If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a veteran mentor, please contact the Contra Costa County Veteran Mentor Coordinator.


Maurice Delmer
707.674.7687
Maurice.Delmer@va.gov