Beyond the Gavel: A Judge's Mission to Transform Lives

Benchmark Happenings

Judge Jim Goodwin lifts the veil on what recovery courts really are—not programs for first-time offenders as commonly misunderstood, but rather the last line of defense before long-term incarceration for those caught in addiction's grip. As Criminal Court Judge for the Second Judicial District in Sullivan County, Goodwin has transformed the landscape of rehabilitation in East Tennessee through innovative court programs that break the cycle of addiction and crime.
Goodwin's journey began during his 15 years as a prosecutor, including work with child abuse cases that left him seeking something positive to balance the emotional weight. This experience, coupled with his early exposure to the judiciary during law school, planted the seed for his eventual role as a judge. Taking office in 2014, he wasted no time establishing the region's first recovery court, accepting their first participant by spring 2015.
What makes this story particularly compelling is the evolution of recovery court services under Goodwin's watch. The original outpatient program has expanded to include a compliance docket for lower-risk individuals and residential programs housing up to 85 men in Roan Mountain and 12 women in Johnson City. The most striking testament to the program's effectiveness? Among 30-40 graduates over nearly a decade, only two participants have relapsed—an extraordinary success rate in addiction recovery work.
Behind the statistics lie powerful human stories, including a woman who was contemplating suicide in her jail cell while applying for the program. After initially going through the motions, something clicked, and she committed fully to recovery. Today, she's a regional manager who has regained custody of her children, helped her husband and sister overcome their own addictions, and even established support meetings in her community. As Judge Goodwin notes, many participants have never before had authority figures tell them they have value or recognize their achievements—something that proves transformative when combined with structure, support and accountability.
Ready to hear more inspiring stories of redemption through East Tennessee's innovative approach to addiction and criminal justice? Listen now and discover why Judge Goodwin calls his recovery court sessions "the best part of my work week."

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1. Welcome to Benchmark Happenings (00:00:00)

2. Meet Judge Jim Goodwin (00:01:17)

3. From Prosecutor to Judge (00:03:12)

4. What is Drug Court Really? (00:05:07)

5. Success Stories and Program Impact (00:09:35)

6. Hiring Recovery Court Participants (00:18:22)

7. Episode Closing (00:24:40)