Stockton file photo/ From left, Assignment Judge Julio L Mendez and Recovery Court Judge Mark Sandson and Stockton University President Harvey Kesselman. Sandson received the university's Partner of the Year award in June 2019.
The Atlantic/Cape May Vicinage will recognize the successes of 42 Atlantic
County graduates of its Recovery Court Program during two virtual ceremonies on
Tuesday, Oct. 27.
The graduates, along with their friends and families, treatment providers and court
staff, will attend the ceremonies at 9:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. The recovery court
team, led by Superior Court Judge Mark Sandson and staffed by court personnel,
attorneys, probation officers, substance abuse evaluators, and treatment
professionals, has continued to support participants' recovery during the Covid-19
health crisis.
Our total graduating class for 2020 is 88. The graduating class size reflects the
enormous growth of our program, and further reflects the enormity of the
substance abuse catastrophe impacting Atlantic County and our state. These
graduates have achieved sobriety and employment. They are prepared for a life as
positive family members, role models and citizens. All of them have embraced the
concepts of honesty and recovery, Sandson said.
The ceremonies will include encouraging words from NJ Superior Court Assignment Judge Julio Mendez and Sandson as they recognize the graduates' journeys from
addiction to recovery.
The ceremonies also mark Sandson's last group of recovery court graduates
as he approaches retirement in November. During his four-year tenure as recovery
court judge, he has made transformative changes in the program.
