On the legal forefront, Oklahoma’s Attorney General Gentner Drummond recently announced a landmark agreement set to reform the state’s intersection of criminal justice and mental health services. The class-action federal lawsuit known as Briggs v. Slatton-Hodges, initially filed in March 2023, challenged the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services’ handling of pretrial defendants requiring competency restoration services. Plaintiffs in the case argued that excessive delays violated due process rights, a contention that this settlement aims to definitively address, according to the Office of the
Oklahoma Attorney General
.
Drummond hailed the resolution as a turning point for the state, offering a triple benefit to the system. “This settlement is a significant win for Oklahoma,” he said, victims of crime and their families will no longer suffer through protracted waits for closure, the antiquated pitfalls of the justice system can finally be uprooted, and the financial burden on taxpayers will be significantly reduced by dodging the costs tied to further legal wrangling, he said. The accord has received the stamp of approval from Governor Stitt and Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, signaling a cooperative path forward. according to
Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General
.
The lawsuit had spotlighted the condition within county jails where some inmates, declared incompetent for trial, remained for over a year, effectively stalling the wheel of justice. This situation placed undue strain on not only those awaiting their day in court but also the victims and families left in limbo, a systemic failure that this agreement seeks to correct. As reported by the
Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General
, the details of the settlement include assurances for timely delivery of mental health services for incarcerated individuals in the state’s care, a move poised to reshape the administration of justice in Oklahoma’s courts.
While the settlement’s specifics have not been publicly disclosed, the overarching sentiment among state officials is one of optimistic finality. This agreement, according to the
Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General
, represents a crucial step in mending a fractured system, one where the vulnerable intersection of criminal justice and mental health has long been in need of an overhaul. Also saving the state “tens of millions in taxpayer dollars” positions the resolution as not only a moral imperative but also a fiscal advance.
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