A court to get veterans back on track

By Mary Ann Milbourn, The Orange County Register, September 11, 2011 :: Read full article »

When you walk into the room with its six rows of walnut-stained, pew-like benches and raised dais, it feels like you’ve entered a chapel. And for veterans like Jesse Paredes who have gotten into trouble with the law, it has been a place of redemption.

Welcome to Combat Veterans Court, a 3-year-old collaboration between the Veterans Administration and the Orange County Superior Court to help veterans facing criminal charges avoid prison, get training or jobs and straighten out their lives.