ID: a compassionate judge passes

From the Times-News:

Judge Carlson dies

It's difficult to find a person with something bad to say about Cassia County's 5th District Court Judge Monte Carlson.

Carlson, who died Sunday, is remembered as a compassionate judge who helped start the Magic Valley drug court... With Carlson's help, 177 drug addicts graduated from the 5th District Drug Court since he helped start the program in 1998, said Darrell Roskelley, drug court coordinator. The program boasts about a 60 percent success rate, compared to about 20 percent with other treatments, Roskelley said.

"He (Carlson) could see the potential of these drug court people and what they could become," Roskelley said. "Everything that drug court has become has been (because of) him."

My drug court clients loved Judge Carlson, and I did too. Farewell, Your Honor.