Georgia DUI Court Named Statewide Treatment Model
Lowndes County's treatment-based accountability court will mentor other Georgia courts through 2029 as a designated Model Court.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Substance Abuse
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The Council of Accountability Court Judges has selected the Lowndes County DUI Accountability Court as a Model Court for Georgia for 2027-2029. The designation means the program will serve as a mentor and resource for other courts across Georgia that run similar treatment-based programs.
Why it matters
The selection recognizes a court-supervised, treatment-based alternative to traditional incarceration for people facing repeated impaired-driving charges, a pathway focused on substance use treatment and long-term recovery. Because the designation follows a review of the program's operations and adherence to established best practices, it signals that the model is considered worth replicating statewide.
The selection is an institutional certification based on a comprehensive evaluation of program operations and adherence to best practices, rather than a clinical trial. The program has produced 125 graduates since it was established in January 2017, but the source does not report recidivism or comparative outcome data.
The players
Council of Accountability Court Judges
The Georgia body that certifies accountability courts and selected the Lowndes County program as a Model Court.
Redirect Counseling Services
The treatment provider whose clinician, Laci Rankhorn, participates in the Lowndes County program's substance abuse treatment.
The details
The Lowndes County program is a voluntary, post-conviction, treatment-based court for people facing multiple offenses for driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. It combines close judicial supervision, mandatory substance abuse treatment, intensive drug testing, and community surveillance, with a team that includes a state court judge, a DUI court coordinator, defense and prosecuting attorneys, a probation officer, a treatment provider, a surveillance officer, and a case manager. Selection followed a review under Georgia's certification, performance, and peer-review standards.
Timeline
January 2017: Lowndes County Accountability Court was established.
2027-2029: The Model Court designation period for Georgia.
Health Landscape
Georgia's accountability court system uses court-supervised treatment as an alternative to traditional incarceration for offenders whose offenses are linked to substance use. The Model Court designation places one local program at the center of that statewide effort, with the Council of Accountability Court Judges certifying programs under its peer-review standards.
For people facing repeated impaired-driving charges, treatment-based accountability courts offer a structured route that combines substance use treatment with judicial supervision. Anyone dealing with a substance use concern tied to a legal matter may find it worth discussing treatment options with a physician or addiction specialist.
The takeaway
Treatment-based court programs pair supervision with mandatory substance use treatment and are being formally evaluated as models for other courts. If substance use is affecting your safety or legal situation, a conversation with your physician or a licensed addiction professional is a practical first step.
Further reading
For broader context on treatment-based responses to impaired driving, see Substance Abuse coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Valdosta Daily Times.
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