The Council of Accountability Court Judges (CACJ) will recognize outstanding Adult Mental Health Courts and DUI Courts during the 2026 Annual Conference. New this year, courts that wish to be considered for Model Court designation must complete an application through this online survey.
The application is designed to gather information about your program, team, accomplishments, and reasons for seeking Model Court recognition.
Courts applying for Model Court designation should generally be able to meet the following guidelines. However, failure to meet one or more of these guidelines will not automatically disqualify a court from consideration. Programs that do not meet the minimum guidelines are encouraged to apply and should provide an explanation of any extenuating circumstances within their application.
Model Court Guidelines
- Program has been in operation for at least four (4) years.
- Presiding Judge has served with the program for at least three (3) years.
- Coordinator has served with the program for at least two (2) years.
- Program met at least 90% of mandatory certification requirements on its first certification submission.
- Program met at least 75% of best practice certification requirements on its first certification submission.
- Program serves at least 75% of its reported participant capacity.
- The most recent peer review report reflects a quality program.
- Treatment monitoring visits reflect a quality treatment program.
- Team members actively participate in the peer review process.
The CACJ Nominations Committee will review and rank all submissions based on the guidelines listed above, as well as the additional information provided within the application. Selected courts will be notified and provided with additional information regarding recognition at the 2026 Annual Conference.
Model Court designation is valid for a period of three (3) years. Courts receiving this designation will be expected to serve as leaders within the accountability court community by mentoring new courts and providing guidance to existing programs that request assistance.
Thank you for your interest in Model Court designation and for your continued commitment to accountability court excellence throughout Georgia.