Specialty courts in Texas are established by county governments to handle a particular type of crime or certain civil law cases. These courts seek to divert offenders from prisons and jails and refer them instead to social services that may rehabilitate them.
The oldest kind of specialty court in Texas, and the most common, is a drug court. The judges of these courts supervise treatment plans for offenders and monitor their compliance.
Other specializations include veterans courts, family courts, juvenile courts, mental health courts, and DWI courts for persons arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. Several counties have established courts for commercially sexually exploited persons, which handle cases that might otherwise be prosecuted for prostitution.
Specialty courts may rely on a deferred adjudication program, which allows a defendant to accept responsibility for a crime without an actual conviction being placed on the record.
Other courts work with offenders after conviction, so that they can avoid repeat offenses.
Specialty courts operate under guidelines approved jointly by an advisory council within the Criminal Justice Division at the Office of the Governor and the Texas Judicial Council. The courts are funded in part through grants made by the Criminal Justice Division, and in part by local and federal resources.
List of Specialty Courts in Texas
The following list of specialty courts is current as of February 2023. As of that date, there were 247 specialty courts operating in the state.
Court ID | Primary County | Court Name |
---|---|---|
44 | Angelina | Angelina County Drug Court |
45 | Angelina | Angelina County SAFP Re-entry Drug Court |
46 | Bell | Bell County Drug Court |
255 | Bell | Bell County Veterans Treatment Court |
47 | Bexar | Bexar County Adult Drug Court (Treatment Recovery |
193 | Bexar | Bexar County DWI Court |
220 | Bexar | Bexar County Esperanza Court |
48 | Bexar | Bexar County Family Drug Court |
49 | Bexar | Bexar County Felony Co-Occurring Disorder Court (CORE) |
215 | Bexar | Bexar County Felony Drug Court |
214 | Bexar | Bexar County Felony Reentry Court |
284 | Bexar | Bexar County Felony Veterans Treatment Court |
51 | Bexar | Bexar County Juvenile Drug Court Pre-Adjudication |
248 | Bexar | Bexar County Juvenile Drug Court Pre-Adjudication |
249 | Bexar | Bexar County Juvenile Drug Court Pre-Adjudication |
50 | Bexar | Bexar County Juvenile Drug Treatment Court – Post-Adjudication |
185 | Bexar | Bexar County Mental Health Court |
152 | Bexar | Bexar County Veterans Treatment Court |
54 | Bowie | Bowie County Aftercare Re-entry Drug Court |
52 | Bowie | Bowie County Felony Drug Court |
55 | Bowie | Bowie County Mental Health Court |
53 | Bowie | Bowie County Misdemeanor Drug Court |
56 | Bowie | Bowie County Pre-Trial Diversion Drug Court |
57 | Bowie | Bowie County SAFPF Re-entry Court |
257 | Brazoria | Brazoria County Recovery (DWI) Court Program |
258 | Brazoria | Brazoria County Veterans Court Program |
140 | Brazoria | Brazoria County S.T.E.P. (Success Through Education and |
58 | Brazos | Brazos County Specialty Court |
59 | Brown | Brown County DWI Court |
60 | Burnet | Burnet County 33rd/424th Drug Court |
180 | Caldwell | Caldwell County Challenge Court |
302 | Cameron | A.C.T. (Accountability Creates Trust) Specialty Court |
289 | Cameron | Cameron County Mental Health Divert/AOT Court |
199 | Cameron | Cameron County Veterans Court |
326 | Cameron | Youth Offender Court |
61 | Cameron | Cameron County Divert Court |
62 | Cass | Cass County Drug Court |
285 | Collin | Collin County 416th Drug Court |
186 | Collin | Collin County Court at Law #1 DWI/Drug Court |
205 | Collin | Collin County Court at Law #7 DWI/Drug Court |
253 | Collin | Collin County Family Preservation Drug Court |
323 | Collin | Collin County Mental Health Specialty Court |
308 | Collin | Juvenile Mental Health Intervention Program (JMHIP) |
187 | Collin | North Texas Regional Veterans Court – Collin County |
35 | Collin | 366th District Court Drug Court Program |
63 | Collin | Collin County SOAR Juvenile Drug Court |
68 | Collin | County Court at Law No. 5 DWI/Drug Court Program |
65 | Comal | Comal County Accountability Court |
64 | Comal | Comal County Challenge Court |
320 | Comal | Comal County Mental Health Court |
247 | Comal | Eugene E. Hooper Veterans Treatment Court of Comal County |
71 | Dallas | Dallas County 4-C SAFPF Re-entry |
267 | Dallas | Dallas County AIM |
172 | Dallas | Dallas County ATLAS |
198 | Dallas | Dallas County Competency Court |
176 | Dallas | Dallas County Diversion Male Court |
74 | Dallas | Dallas County Diversion Male Court (DMC) |
254 | Dallas | Dallas County Diversionary Drug Court |
83 | Dallas | Dallas County Dual Diagnosis Aftercare |
175 | Dallas | Dallas County ESTEEM Court |
72 | Dallas | Dallas County Felony DWI |
73 | Dallas | Dallas County I.I.P. |
174 | Dallas | Dallas County Juvenile Mental Health Court |
75 | Dallas | Dallas County Legacy Family Court |
171 | Dallas | Dallas County Mental Health Diversion Court |
76 | Dallas | Dallas County Misdemeanor DWI |
128 | Dallas | Dallas County PRIDE |
77 | Dallas | Dallas County STAC |
134 | Dallas | Dallas County STAR |
78 | Dallas | Dallas County Veterans |
243 | Dallas | Dallas County Youthful Offenders Court |
79 | Dallas | Dallas Initiative for Diversion and Expedited Rehabilitation and |
211 | Dallas | Dual Diagnosis Court |
263 | Dallas | South Dallas Drug Court |
262 | Dallas | South Oak Cliff Veteran Treatment Court |
273 | Denton | Denton County 442nd District Family Drug Court |
272 | Denton | Denton County Drug Treatment Court |
80 | Denton | Denton County DWI Treatment Court |
81 | Denton | Denton County Veteran’s Court |
260 | Denton | SOAR, Denton County Juvenile Mental Health Court |
207 | El Paso | E.S.T.E.E.M. Prost. Prev. Court Program |
36 | El Paso | El Paso County 384th Adult Drug Court Program |
136 | El Paso | El Paso County 384th SAFPF Reentry Drug Court |
86 | El Paso | El Paso County DWI Drug Court Intervention and Treatment Program |
39 | El Paso | El Paso County Intervention Family Drug Court |
88 | El Paso | El Paso County Juvenile Drug Court Program |
40 | El Paso | El Paso County Preservation Family Drug Court |
250 | El Paso | El Paso County Project Hope – Juvenile Mental Health Court |
182 | El Paso | El Paso County Veterans Treatment Court Program |
287 | El Paso | El Paso County Women’s Addiction & Recovery (WAR) Court |
316 | El Paso | El Paso Resilient Invested Succeeding Empowerment (R.I.S.E.) |
325 | Ellis | Ellis County Veterns Treatment Court |
93 | Fannin | Fannin County Drug Court |
256 | Fannin | Fannin County Mental Health Court |
296 | Fannin | North Texas Regional Veterans Court – Fannin County |
95 | Fort Bend | Fort Bend County CARD Program (Felony Drug Court) |
311 | Fort Bend | Fort Bend County Juvenile Intervention and Mental Health |
202 | Fort Bend | Fort Bend County Mental Health Court |
201 | Fort Bend | Fort Bend County Mental Health Docket |
97 | Fort Bend | Fort Bend County Misdemeanor DWI Court |
96 | Fort Bend | Fort Bend County Misdemeanor Treatment Court |
266 | Fort Bend | Fort Bend County Special Sanctions Court |
139 | Fort Bend | Fort Bend County STARS SAFPF Reentry Court |
227 | Fort Bend | Fort Bend County Veterans Court |
181 | Galveston | Galveston County “HOPE” Drug Court |
209 | Galveston | Galveston County Veterans Treatment Court |
99 | Grayson | Grayson County Family Recovery Court |
98 | Grayson | Grayson County Recovery Court |
297 | Grayson | Grayson County RISE Juvenile Court |
294 | Grayson | North Texas Regional Veterans Court – Grayson County |
100 | Gregg | Gregg County 188th Judicial District Drug Court |
101 | Gregg | Gregg County Family Treatment Court |
42 | Guadalupe | Guadalupe County ACHIEVE |
183 | Guadalupe | Guadalupe County High Risk Probationer (HRP) Court |
102 | Guadalupe | Guadalupe County Veterans Treatment Court |
129 | Guadalupe | REACH (Rehabilitate, Educate, And Create Hope) Felony Drug |
138 | Guadalupe | Specialized Treatment Options Program (S.T.O.P.) Juvenile Drug |
324 | Hale | Hale County Drug Court |
103 | Hale | Hale County Juvenile Drug Court |
234 | Harris | County Criminal Courts at Law Veterans Program (CCCLVP) |
283 | Harris | Harris County Court 360 |
208 | Harris | Harris County Creating Advocacy Recovery and Empowerment |
92 | Harris | Harris County Family Intervention-Infant Toddler Court |
231 | Harris | Harris County Felony Mental Health Court |
210 | Harris | Harris County Felony Mental Health Court – Co-Occurring Disorders |
107 | Harris | Harris County Felony Veterans’ Treatment Court |
281 | Harris | Harris County Gang Recidivism Intervention Program (GRIP) Gang Court |
228 | Harris | Harris County Misdemeanor Veterans Court |
229 | Harris | Harris County Prostitution Court SAFE |
104 | Harris | Harris County Sober Court |
105 | Harris | Harris County Sober Court |
106 | Harris | Harris County Sober Court |
223 | Harris | Harris County Sober Court |
225 | Harris | Harris County Sober Court |
179 | Harris | Harris County Sobriety Over Addiction and Relapse (SOAR) Drug Court |
141 | Harris | Harris County Success Through Addiction Recovery (STAR) 1 |
142 | Harris | Harris County Success Through Addiction Recovery (STAR) 2 |
143 | Harris | Harris County Success Through Addiction Recovery (STAR) 3 |
144 | Harris | Harris County Success Through Addiction Recovery (STAR) 4 |
108 | Hays | Hays County Drug Court |
321 | Hays | Hays County Mental Health Court |
206 | Hays | Hays County Veterans Court |
109 | Hidalgo | Hidalgo County Drug Court Program |
110 | Hidalgo | Hidalgo County DWI Court Program |
310 | Hidalgo | Hidalgo County Juvenile Drug Court Program |
309 | Hidalgo | Hidalgo County LIFELINES Girls Juvenile Mental Health Court |
240 | Hidalgo | Hidalgo County Mental Health Court |
318 | Hidalgo | Hidalgo County Misdemeanor Drug Court |
235 | Hidalgo | Hidalgo County Misdemeanor DWI Court |
219 | Hidalgo | Hidalgo County Prostitution Court |
317 | Hidalgo | Hidalgo County Re-entry Court |
111 | Hidalgo | Hidalgo County Veterans Court Program |
290 | Hidalgo | Hidalgo County Youthful Offender Court |
112 | Hill | Hill County Juvenile Drug Court Program |
329 | Hopkins | ANCHOR Court |
269 | Hutchinson | Hutchinson County Adult Drug Court |
113 | Jefferson | Jefferson County Drug Intervention (JCDI) Program |
114 | Jefferson | Jefferson County Family Treatment Drug Court |
188 | Jefferson | Jefferson County Juvenile Drug Court |
277 | Jefferson | Jefferson County Juvenile Mental Health Court |
41 | Jim Wells | 79th Judicial District Drug/Alcohol Court Diversion Program |
38 | Kaufman | Kaufman County 422nd Drug and Mental Health Court |
117 | Kaufman | Kaufman County Court at Law DWI/Diversion Court |
295 | Kaufman | North Texas Regional Veterans Court – Kaufman County |
291 | Kerr | Kerr County Drug Court |
288 | Liberty | Liberty County Veterans Treatment Court |
118 | Lubbock | Lubbock County Adult Drug Court |
119 | Lubbock | Lubbock County DWI |
122 | Lubbock | Lubbock County Freedom Court |
121 | Lubbock | Lubbock County Juvenile Drug Court |
313 | McLennan | McLennan Co .Mental Health Court |
87 | McLennan | McLennan County DWI/Drug Court |
123 | McLennan | McLennan County Juvenile Drug Court Progam |
306 | McLennan | McLennan County Veterans Treatment Court |
305 | Medina | Mental Health Court |
279 | Midland | Midland County Drug Court |
298 | Midland | Midland County DWI Court |
212 | Midland | Midland County Mental Health Court |
280 | Midland | Midland County Transitional Treatment Court |
213 | Midland | Midland County Veterans Court |
69 | Montgomery | Montgomery County Court Assisted Rehabilitation Experience |
85 | Montgomery | Montgomery County DWI Court |
259 | Montgomery | Montgomery County Mental Health Treatment Court |
184 | Montgomery | Montgomery County Misdemeanor DWI Court |
124 | Montgomery | Montgomery County Power Recovery Court (PRC) |
135 | Montgomery | Montgomery County SAFPF Reentry Court |
244 | Montgomery | Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court |
137 | Montgomery | SAP Recovery Court (Substance Abuse Program) |
322 | Navarro | Navarro County Recovery Court |
307 | Nolan | Nolan County Drug Court |
292 | Nueces | Nueces County Family Drug Treatment Court |
82 | Nueces | Nueces County Divert Court |
126 | Nueces | Nueces County Drug DWI Court |
115 | Nueces | Nueces County Juvenile Drug Court |
153 | Nueces | Nueces County Veteran’s Treatment Court |
33 | Panola | 123rd Judicial District Adult Drug Court Program |
315 | Potter | Panhandle Problem Solving Court |
314 | Potter | Panhandle Regional Veterans Treatment |
217 | Potter | Potter and Randall County Drug Court |
127 | Potter | Potter County SAFPF Reentry Court |
94 | Presidio | Far West Texas Rural Juvenile Drug Court Initiative |
293 | Rockwall | North Texas Regional Veterans Court – Rockwall County |
245 | Rockwall | Veterans Court |
131 | Rusk | Rusk County Drug Court |
194 | San Augustine | San Augustine County Misdemeanor Drug Court |
34 | Smith | Smith County 321st Judicial District Drug Court |
218 | Smith | Smith County Veterans Treatment Court |
70 | Tarrant | Tarrant County D.I.R.E.C.T. Program |
145 | Tarrant | Tarrant County Family Drug Court |
192 | Tarrant | Tarrant County Felony Alcohol Intervention Program |
90 | Tarrant | Tarrant County Felony Alcohol Intervention Program (FAIP) |
116 | Tarrant | Tarrant County Juvenile Services Drug Court Program |
146 | Tarrant | Tarrant County Mental Health Diversion Court |
246 | Tarrant | Tarrant County Misdemeanor DWI Court |
278 | Tarrant | Tarrant County Public Services Employees Treatment Court |
190 | Tarrant | Tarrant County Reaching Independence through Self |
147 | Tarrant | Tarrant County Veterans Treatment Court |
233 | Titus | 76th/276th Judicial District Drug Court for Camp, Morris & Titus Counties |
66 | Tom Green | Tom Green County Concho Valley Felony Drug Court Program |
67 | Tom Green | Tom Green County Regional Specialty Court |
148 | Travis | Travis County Adult Diversion Court |
91 | Travis | Travis County Family Drug Treatment Court |
150 | Travis | Travis County Juvenile Treatment Drug Court |
300 | Travis | Travis County Mental Health Diversion Court |
242 | Travis | Travis County The Phoenix Court Prostitution Prevention Program |
151 | Travis | Travis County Veterans Treatment Court |
149 | Travis | Travis County DWI Court |
125 | Tribal | Youth Drug Court Program |
226 | Uvalde | Uvalde County 38th District Specialty Court |
328 | Val Verde | Juvenile/Mental Health Hybrid Specialty Court |
230 | Val Verde | Val Verde County DWI/Drug Specialty Court |
232 | Val Verde | Val Verde Mental Health Specialty Court |
312 | Victoria | Victoria County CARE Court |
155 | Victoria | Victoria County Juvenile Drug Court |
154 | Victoria | Victoria County DWI Court |
200 | Webb | South Texas Veterans Treatment Program |
327 | Webb | Texas Trafficking Emergency Network Diversion (TEND) Court |
197 | Webb | Webb County Court at Law #2 DWI Court Program |
189 | Webb | Webb County Family Drug Treatment Court |
238 | Webb | Webb County Juvenile Drug Court |
195 | Webb | Webb County Prostitution Court Program |
196 | Webb | Webb County Veterans Court Program |
37 | Webb | Webb County 406th Judicial District Adult Drug Court Program |
156 | Williamson | Williamson County DWI/Drug Court Program |
319 | Williamson | Williamson County Family Recovery Court |
204 | Williamson | Williamson County Veterans Treatment Court |
303 | Wise | Wise County Veterans Treatment Court |