Woman avoids seven year prison sentence, proves judge and PO wrong

Sometimes the toughest cases don’t make for the most sensational headlines. A client was on probation to a particularly tough St. Louis City Judge and probation officer. After multiple violations, multiple arrests while on probation, and a prior revocation, the judge and probation officer had vowed to send the client to prison for seven years. Despite these tough circumstances, attorney Brian Cooke was able to get the client into a drug treatment program, sober living housing, and Suboxone treatment. Through his contacts in the recovery community, Mr. Cooke was able to arrange for a grant which paid for all of the aforementioned, at no expense to the client. During the revocation hearing, Mr. Cooke presented the plan to the judge, forcefully arguing over the P.O. that it would do much more to “further recovery than playing spades in the penitentiary for seven years”. The judge reluctantly agreed, reducing the client’s bond from “no bond allowed” to a personal recognizance. After successfully completing the treatment program, the judge agreed to continue the client on probation instead of prison sentence. As a result of client’s outstanding progress, client will be discharged from probation shortly.