text: The Sarasota County DUI Court began June of 2008 within the 12th Judicial Circuit. This specialized court is very unique being only the third of its kind in the entire state of Florida.
  The Sarasota DUI Court is dedicated to changing behavior targeting offenders who are alcohol dependent and currently charged with a DUI having one or more prior DUI arrest(s). It’s modeled after the highly successful Drug Court concept, having a graduated sanction/reward structure and following specific Guiding Principles. Furthermore, it adds elements within the court such as mandatory counseling, case management, drug and alcohol testing, and community supervision. Statistics from operational DUI Courts show that recidivism decreases substantially after completion the highest level of accountability.
  Upon acceptance of the offender’s plea to the DUI charge the offender is placed on supervised probation for a period of at least one year. During this time, the DUI offender is required to comply with the mandatory statutory requirements of Florida Statutes 316.193 and 322.28 and complete all phases of DUI Court.