Chief Justice John Dan Kemp of the Arkansas Supreme Court presented Judge Earnest Brown Jr. with a certificate of achievement on behalf of the Specialty Court Program Advisory Committee.
The certificate recognizes the Jefferson County Juvenile Drug Court as a certified specialty court based on its compliance with established best-practice standards. The presentation was made during the Arkansas Specialty Courts Conference on April 13, according to a news release.
To obtain certification, a specialty court program must undergo assessment by the Specialty Court Program Advisory Committee. The assessment includes on-site evaluation of program operations, including observation of team staff meetings and regular review hearings.
A comprehensive report is then provided to the court including recommendations for program improvement. In response, courts are required to implement an action plan and modify programmatic policies to ensure alignment with best-practice standards, according to the release.
The Specialty Court Program Advisory Committee, chaired by Kemp, was established by ACT 895 of 2015. The committee promotes collaboration and provides recommendations on issues involving adult and juvenile specialty courts, according to the release.