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Hennepin County Judges Will Announce Plans to Significantly Reduce DWI Case Time


MINNEAPOLIS, MN (June 2, 2000) – In a press conference Monday, June 5, Hennepin County judges will announce a new effort to significantly cut DWI case processing time.  The program, called “Dealing with DWI Faster,” will begin Monday.

The average DWI case in Hennepin County takes 78 days from offense to resolution, but some take more than 400 days.  That’s not fast enough for the families of victims and offenders, who agonize over uncertainties in the interim, and it’s not fast enough for judges in Hennepin County.

“Dealing with DWI Faster,” a program developed by a group of judges and court administrators chaired by Hennepin County District Court Judge Stephen Swanson, will significantly reduce DWI case time. Details of the effort will be announced Monday.

The incoming Chief Judge of Hennepin County, Kevin Burke, said, “The lives of the victims, the offenders and the families are all thrown into chaos in an alcohol-related traffic offense. This effort is designed to get all parties through the process faster, so healing and recovery can begin earlier.”

In addition, the more quickly DWI cases are processed, the less likely offenders are to re-offend. Professor Steve Simon from the University of Minnesota Law School will be on hand to discuss the preliminary results of a study that shows a direct correlation between the length of time taken to process DWI cases and the likelihood of recidivism.

Sharon Gehrman-Driscoll, director of Minnesotans for Safe Driving, will be on hand to talk about the impact of delays on the families of DWI victims.

 

WHO:              Hennepin County judges, Prof. Steve Simon from the University of MN, Sharon Gehrman-Driscoll, from Minnesotans for Safe Driving.

WHAT:            Press conference announcing judges’ plans to significantly reduce DWI case processing time in Hennepin County.

WHERE:            Hennepin County Government Center

                        Courts Building, Courtroom 1055

                        300 S. 6th St., Minneapolis, MN

WHEN:            11 a.m., June 5, 2000.

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