Williamson County Courts Garner Specialty Court Team Award

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TEXAS — The Williamson County DWI/Drug Court received the Judge Ruben G. Reyes Outstanding Specialty Court Team Award at the Texas Association of Specialty Courts Annual Training Conference, officials said on Wednesday.

Established in 2017, the award recognizes an outstanding specialty court team epitomizing high ideals while reflecting Reyes' examples of passion and expertise.

Williamson County’s DWI/Drug Court was established in 2006, with Judge Laura Barker of County Court-at-Law #2 is the presiding judge. The program has a success rate of 81.42%, helping some 541 people. The DWI/Drug Court team comprises Cole Spainhour (defense attorney), Alex Hellerstedt (prosecutor), Susan Stiltz (probation officer), Emily Klein (treatment counselor), and Lesli Fitzpatrick (ex-court coordinator).

The Judge Ruben G. Reyes Outstanding Specialty Court Team Award. Photo courtesy of WilCo.

“I’m truly honored to work alongside such an amazing team! They work tirelessly to see that each participant succeeds and becomes more productive members of our community," Barker said. "They are truly deserving of this award."

Added court coordinator Lesli Fitzpatrick: “We know that we are handling life and death matters and do not take the interactions with our participants lightly. We focus on the positives and not the negatives.”

Uppermost photo: DWI/Drug Court Team comprises (left to right) Cole Spainhour, Phillip Garcia, Alex Hellerstedt, Susan Stiltz with Drug Court dog, Wrangler, Lesli Fitzpatrick, Judge Laura Barker, and Emily Klein.