Judge Haley (Ret.) served the 86th District Court in Traverse City, Michigan from 1996 until his retirement in 2015. He launched northern Michigan’s first Drug Treatment Court in 2001 - a DWI program known as Sobriety Court. For the next 15 years, Judge Haley presided over 1000 felony and misdemeanor drink driving cases and saw enough success stories to see the recidivism rate for these cases decline from 30% to single digits. Judge Haley’s Sobriety Court was named an “Academy Court” by the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP), enabling the court to serve as a training site for new Drug Court teams from around the country. Judge Haley has served as a facilitator and mentor for courts starting new programs in Georgia, North Carolina, Missouri and Michigan.
Born and educated in Detroit - University of Detroit Jesuit (’67) and Wayne State University (’70) - Haley graduated from Loyola University of Chicago Law School in 1974 and then returned to Michigan to serve as a clerk for the Michigan Court of Appeals, a trial attorney for the Kent County Defender Office (Grand Rapids), and an assistant prosecutor for Grand Traverse County (Traverse City) before maintaining a solo law practice for nearly 20 years.
Judge Haley has presented on a variety of Drug Treatment Court topics, including sanctions and incentives, conducting an effective review hearing, and managing the case review session. His publications include “Drug Courts: The Criminal Justice System Rolls the Rock”, Loyola University New Orleans Journal of Public Interest Law (2016).
