James Valley Drug and DUI Court celebrated James Means graduation Thursday. “The road got a little overwhelming and rough, but I never gave up,” Means told a crowded courtroom.
Judge Donna Bucher shared Means has 507 days of sobriety, paid nearly $620 in fines, attend 189 support group meetings, completed 10 hours of community service, and has 137 hours of treatment.
Keynote speaker Ashley Hobbs offered congratulations and continued encouragement. “To James, you made it, you did the work, you stayed the course even when it would have been easier to quit,” Hobbs told Means. “And I hope that you carry this moment in your heart. You didn’t just finish something, you changed, you grew, and you showed us what perseverance really looks like.”
Means graduation comes during the observance of National Treatment Court Month.