District judge ends alcohol court option

A special court for alcohol violators has come to an end. District Court Judge Doug Robinson reported he shut down the diversionary alcohol court this fall.

The court set up a special program where defendants charged with misdemeanor alcohol violations could have charges wiped off their record after six months of meeting with Judge Robinson and refraining from using alcohol and drugs.

Judge Robinson said the program became moot because private companies that provide criminal background checks on job applicants to employers do not update their databases when charges are dismissed.

The judge had tried to have a state law passed that would require such companies to review charges and update their information on defendants, but said he could not get Olympia to act on the law.

Washington State University students were the primary defendants to qualify for the special alcohol court, said Judge Robinson. He estimated more than 200 defendants had their charges dropped after going through the program.