Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Cornelia Clark spoke to the graduates of the 21st Judicial District Drug Court on May 21. The 21st Judicial District Drug Court, which covers Williamson, Hickman, Perry and Lewis Counties, helps non-violent drug offenders recover from substance abuse.
Graduates of the Drug Court have completed an intensive two-year program, which includes daily one-on-one and group counseling, visits to 12-step program meetings and treatment sessions three times a week, weekly check-ins with the Drug Court, and regular drug testing.
Participants in Drug Court still have to complete their full sentence, however, some Drug Court graduates may be granted a shortened sentence or have their charges dropped.
In congratulating the seven graduates of the program, Justice Clark noted that Drug Court has helped the participants recover from the frown of failure to achieve the smile of success.
“Part of your story inevitably reflects failure. Part of mine does, too. All of us have failed at something we have tried in life,” said Justice Clark. “But if we are wise we see that failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker.”
Justice Clark went on to emphasize the importance of smiling.
“A smile costs nothing but gives much. It enriches those who receive without making poorer those who give it away,” said Justice Clark. “A smile takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever.”