Drugs in America Today: What Every Judge Needs to Know

Who should attend?

This course has been specifically designed to be appropriate for any judge on the bench, as substance misuse can appear in any type of case.

Who are the members of the faculty?

Hon. Peggy Davis

Judge Peggy Davis is a retired drug court commissioner for the 31st Circuit Court in Greene County, Missouri. Since 2000, she has, at various times, presided over the DWI court, adult drug court, family drug court, mental health court, and veterans court. Judge Davis serves as faculty for NADCP and the National Judicial College. She sits on the Missouri Drug Courts Coordinating Commission and is past president of the board of directors for the Missouri Association of Drug Court Professionals. She has also served as a member of the Missouri Supreme Court Alternative Treatment Courts Committee. In 2011, the Women’s Justice Awards recognized her contribution in the field of government and the law by naming her Public Official of the Year. She was one of the Missouri Supreme Court Excellence in the Judiciary Award recipients in 2016. She received her B.A. degree from the University of Oklahoma, with Highest Honors. She received her J.D. from Oklahoma City University School of Law. Judge Davis has practiced civil law and has served as a public defender for the State of Missouri, as an assistant prosecutor for Greene County, and as adjunct faculty for Ozarks Technical Community College.

Carl M. Dawson

Mr. Carl M. Dawson is a licensed professional counselor in the state of Missouri. He has actively been working and lecturing in the field of Substance Misuse Disorders, Treatment and Recovery for the past 36 years. Mr. Dawson holds a Master of Science degree in Community Mental Health “Clinical” Psychology, from Pittsburg State University, in Pittsburg, Kansas. Mr. Dawson is a National Board Certified Counselor and a National Board Certified Master Addiction Counselor, which was granted by the National Board for Certified Counselors. He also holds a Level II Substance Abuse Counselor Certification, and is certified as a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) by the National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Certification Board. He has maintained an independent practice in professional mental health counseling, specializing in Substance Use Disorders, Post Traumatic Stress Disorders, Employee Assistance Programs, and Marriage and Family counseling, for over 25 years. Mr. Dawson is a member of the clinical faculty in the Departments of Psychology (undergraduate college), and the School of Mental Health Counseling (graduate college), Missouri State University (MSU), Springfield, Missouri. He is a consultant and lecturer for the State of Missouri/Greene County Drug Court Association and The Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association. He is also an educational consultant and faculty member of the National Drug Court Institute in Washington D.C. Mr. Dawson serves as a clinical consultant to regionally and nationally-based employee assistance programs, and is the national substance abuse consultant for O’Reilly Automotive, Ozark Distributors, Springfield, Missouri. He is also currently a member and associate member of the American Counselor’s Association. Mr. Dawson joined The National Judicial College faculty in 2015.

How is this course taught?

This course is taught through lecture, audio-visual aids, question and answer, class problems and simulations, and group learning. The course has a specific scientific information aim to aid the participant in really understanding the science behind drug addiction.

Whom should I contact for more information?

For more information, please contact the Registrar’s Office at (800) 255-8343 or registrar@judges.org.