First Circuit Treatment Courts to Hold Two Graduations in September

September 17, 2025

Press Release, First Judicial Circuit, Treatment Court

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Sept. 17, 2025
Contact: Alisa Bousa, Public Information Officer, Alisa.Bousa@ujs.state.sd.us, 605.773.2031

First Circuit Treatment Courts to Hold Two Graduations in September

PIERRE, S.D.—Yankton County Drug & DUI Court and James Valley Drug & DUI Court will hold graduation ceremonies in Yankton and Mitchell in September.

Yankton County Drug & DUI Court will hold a graduation commencement on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. CDT in Courtroom A (second floor) of the Yankton County Safety Center, 410 Walnut St., Yankton. The commencement speaker will be Kellee Irvin, an addiction counselor for Lewis & Clark Behavioral Health Services at the Residential Substance Use Treatment Facility.
James Valley Drug & DUI Court will hold a graduation commencement on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. CDT in the Public Safety Building Courtroom, 1015 S. Miller St., Mitchell.

The Yankton County Drug & DUI Court and James Valley Drug & DUI Court teams invite the public to join them in recognizing the remarkable accomplishments of these graduates. With their friends and family in attendance, participants who have successfully completed all phases of these treatment court programs will be honored. Both events are open to the public and media, and receptions will follow the commencements.

Treatment courts, which include drug court, DUI court, veterans court and mental health court, are an effective strategy for treating substance misuse and mental illness while reducing recidivism and saving taxpayer dollars. These courts have proven that a combination of supervision, treatment and support can lead people with substance use disorders and/or mental health disorders into lives of stability, wellness and recovery. Instead of prison time, treatment courts deliver services for lifelong recovery, keep our roads safe from impaired drivers, give parents tools they need to stay sober and maintain custody of their children, and divert individuals from a life of substance misuse, mental illness and crime.

James Valley Drug Court was established in 2013, followed by DUI Court in 2014. Yankton County Drug Court was established in 2013, followed by DUI Court in 2019.

Learn more about South Dakota’s treatment courts at https://ujs.sd.gov/programs-services/treatment-courts. For more information about the Yankton County Drug & DUI Court or James Valley Drug & DUI Court, contact Coordinator Sharon Kraft at 605-661-6587 or sharon.kraft@ujs.state.sd.us.

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About South Dakota Courts: The Unified Judicial System (UJS) consists of the Supreme Court, Circuit Courts and State Court Administrator’s Office. The Supreme Court is the state’s highest court and final decision maker on South Dakota law. The Circuit Courts are the state’s trial courts where criminal proceedings and civil litigation are handled. The State Court Administrator’s Office provides centralized administrative assistance and support services for the South Dakota judiciary. Learn more at https://ujs.sd.gov.