On June 25, the Recovery Court Division of the Montgomery County Adult Probation Department held a graduation ceremony to recognize individuals who completed the program and to celebrate 20 years of providing services. Alongside the ceremony, the team also honored the late Judge Ray Grimes for leading Recovery Court. The 20 graduates had a combined total of 7,523 sober days and completed 2,129 hours of community service work.
In addition to the ceremony, the team honored the late Judge Ray Grimes, whose vision inspired the creation of the first drug court operating out of Montgomery County. Judge Ray Grimes led the Recovery Court from the planning and implementation phase in 2014 until his passing in 2020. The team also recognized original team member and advocate, the late William ‘Bill’ Cloud, who served until his passing in 2015. Families for Judge Ray Grimes and Bill Cloud lit candles at the beginning of the ceremony in recognition of the light that continues to shine brightly in the lives of those impacted by their years of committed service.
Following the welcome and ceremony by Recovery Court Judge Sharon Massey Grimes, County Mayor Wes Golden and City Mayor Joe Pitts offered words of encouragement to the graduates. Keynote speaker Chief Warrant Officer Two (CW2) Nick Lavery shared highlights about the graduates, participants, and supporters and spoke about the importance of overcoming obstacles and never giving up.
CW2 Lavery is an Active-duty Green Beret within The United States Army Special Forces. He is the first Special Forces operator to return to combat as an above-the-knee amputee, the first amputee in military history to complete the Special Forces Warrant Officer Technical and Tactical Certification course, the Special Operations Combatives Program Instructor course, and the Special Forces Combat Diver Qualification course. Judge Grimes congratulated the graduates and thanked the Recovery Court Team, County and City mayors, and law enforcement for their support. Grimes also acknowledged the program Director, Sherry Robertson, for 20 years of service to the team.
The Montgomery County Adult Recovery Court Program became a certified Recovery Court in 2009 and is a voluntary program for residents with alcohol and drug offenses, providing rigorous supervision, treatment access, and job placement assistance to aid in recovery. The program accepted its first participant on June 15, 2005, and held its first graduation in August 2006. Team members completed the DUI Academy in Athens, GA, in 2015 and added the DUI Track the same year.
The multi-disciplinary Recovery Court Team works with community partners to support participants and their families. The Adult Recovery Court program is funded by a grant contract with the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, as well as from Drug Treatment Court Act fines, Opioid Abatement Funds, participant fees, and community donations.
To learn more about the Adult Recovery Court Program, visit montgomerytn.gov/adult-probation.
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