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“I’m 46 years old. I have been using drugs before my first child was born and he is 27. God used drug court and now I’m truly living. I have purpose, and I know my identity now. Before drug court my world was so small and hopeless. It’s like comparing light to darkness. I’m no longer a menace to society and harmful to my family.” stated Steven Fisher, a graduate of the Lincoln County Treatment Court. Started on October 6, 2023 by the Honorable W. Todd Pomeroy, Kinsley Craig, and Jennifer Stafford, the court has had enormous success in Lincoln County with eight individual lives completely transformed.
Treatment Court was first founded in 1981 in Miami, Florida. Since then it has grown to over 4,000 courts nation-wide! It is a 12-18 month program in which those convicted of a substance related felonies and are “high risk and high need,” as said by Lincoln County Treatment Court Director Vanessa Palmer, have the opportunity to enter court supervision and drug rehabilitation rather than a jail sentence.
The program committee is made up of 7-9 individuals, consisting of a public defender, a private attorney, the sheriff, a police officer, a judge (in Lincoln County’s case, Judge W. Todd Palmeroy), a probation officer, and, while court is in session, three peers of those going through the program for support. The treatment has four stages, the first being a 90-day stabilizing period, in which all that is asked is for them to, as Palmer stated, “show up and be honest.” After that Palmer and her team seeks to stabilize the enrolled individuals by ensuring reliable housing, and obtaining a government ID. If the participants are continuing to show progress, the team will look into restoring their drivers licenses and securing employment. Finally, once the 12-18 month period has passed, the committee will evaluate all the participant’s progress and determine if they have been sober for a significant period, sufficiently housed, and employed. If those criteria are met, the students are ready to graduate. On June 6, 2025 four more individuals graduated from the program in Lincoln County with changed lives.
The court meets every other Friday with the committee mentioned above and those enrolled in the program. Palmer described it as a very relaxed setting which “makes the communication a lot easier.” After graduating, Palmer stays in touch with each graduate, keeping them accountable, supporting them, and meeting with them once a month for lunch.
A struggle the court is met with is a general lack of funding. The county designated a budget of $1.2 million for the past three years which causes the court to be “limited” in how they can spend their money, as Palmer stated. A new event in the city has recently started, designated to support treatment court financially. Local Attorney John Friguglietti Jr started the Lincolnton Cruise In and has designated it as a non-profit with all proceeds going to Lincoln County Treatment Court.
Since Lincoln County Treatment Court was founded, eight citizens of Lincoln County have been transformed from substance abusers to contributing members of Lincoln County. When talking to Steven Fisher about the program he said, “I’m excited for what God has in store for me!”
The future is bright, not only for Mr. Fisher, but for the Lincoln County Treatment Court.
