DWI Court Program

The Travis County DWI Court is a court-sanctioned program that follows the Ten Key Components recommended by the National Association of the Drug Court Professionals. The court consists of a twelve-month (or longer) program targeting repeat DWI offenders. The program integrates local criminal justice resources, case management, and substance abuse treatment to rehabilitate repeat DWI offenders in lieu of (in some cases) incarceration.

Participants in the DWI Court are required to attend court for progress review weekly, every other week, or monthly, depending on their progress and phase completion. The DWI Court Team meets weekly to review individual progress and recommend to the Judge appropriate incentives for accomplishments or sanctions for program non-compliance.

Upon the participant’s successful completion of the phased treatment program, and having complied with all the DWI Court requirements with continued sobriety, the participant will graduate.

• Chart for Participants

• DWI offenders must be 18 years and older
• Resident of Travis County
• DWI 2nd or subsequent arrest within 2 years of first arrest or conviction
• No victim involvement
• No unresolved holds or warrants from other jurisdictions
• No unresolved pending cases
• Has not previously received an assessment and been referred to counseling for the same offense
• Criminal history will be evaluated on a case by case basis with these general guidelines:
  1. No violent criminal history
  2. No prior history of stalking or violation of protective order
  3. No criminal history unrelated to alcohol/substance abuse

The County Attorney’s (CA) and District Attorney’s (DA) office will evaluate each case individually, making a recommendation based on prosecutorial discretion. The CA reviews all applications submitted by defense attorneys. Next, the CA/DA notifies the defense attorney and Adult Probation if the individual meets legal eligibility criteria. Eligible defendants are then scheduled for a clinical assessment with Adult Probation’s Substance Abuse Assessment Division to assess the individual’s need for treatment.

Once a client enters a plea in Court, the case is set for the next DWI Court docket for sentencing. At that time, the client appears before the Judge and is accepted into the program. The client’s legal counsel is transferred to the DWI Court Attorney (defense attorney).

• Download Application

Contact Persons

Afton Washbourne, Prosecutor
(512) 854-6949

Nicole Cooper, Prosecutor
(512) 854-6768

Patty Arellano, Probation Officer
(512) 854-3538

Defense Attorneys

Richard Gentry
Abby Bernstein