Resources are available. We need YOU to ask for help.

Serving Jackson, Macon, Smith, Trousdale and Wilson County

Gen. Lawson was appointed to the office by Governor Bill Lee on April 7, 2021. He had previously assumed the duties of the office on March 1, 2021, after being appointed by presiding judge Brody Kane as the acting district attorney upon the retirement of his predecessor, Gen. Tommy Thompson. Prior to his appointments, Gen. Lawson was a Deputy District Attorney where he served prosecuting drug offenses and homicides. He previously served as an Assistant District Attorney where he prosecuted thousands of cases over his career, including virtually every type of offense criminalized in Tennessee.

The PIC Center exists to decrease the crime rate, reduce recidivism, and combat the opioid crisis in Wilson County, TN. PIC stands for Preventing Incarceration in Communities.

The PIC Center Program provides assessments, education, and resources for treatment to those who struggle with substance use and have met legal barriers that could potentially affect substantial growth in their recovery journeys.

The PIC Center is made possible via a grant from the Tennessee Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services.

On August 7th, 2014, Brody Kane was elected Criminal Court Judge for the 15th Judicial District. Judge Brody Kane is part of the Wilson County Drug Court, a program is designed to help felony drug addicted offenders get treatment and live a clean and sober life.

Judge Kane is a 1992 graduate of Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro where he studied Criminal Justice and received his law degree from the University of Memphis in 1995. While in law school Kane served as a judicial law clerk for 10 Shelby County Criminal Court Judges. He is past President of the 15th Judicial Bar Association, served on the Legislative Committee of the Municipal Judges Conference, and has been Presiding Judge for the 15th Judicial District for several years.

The 15th Judicial District Drug Court is a sentencing option available to the Court that focuses on both treatment and supervision of felony and misdemeanor offenders. The program was developed to provide treatment for alcohol- and/or drug-addicted offenders at a local level while providing intensive supervision to ensure compliance. The length of the program is between 18 to 24 months by individual progress.

Creating a hopeful, healthy, and engaged Wilson County

DrugFree WilCo is a coalition of individuals, professionals, and community agencies working together to prevent and reduce drug misuse and addiction among youth and adults through education, communication, and awareness of resources.

Mrs. Shelley T. Gardner is a Wilson County, Tennessee, native. She graduated from Cumberland University in 1997 with her BBA and then from the Nashville School of Law in 2001 with her Doctor of Jurisprudence. She has been with the 15th Judicial District Public Defender’s office since 2002, starting as an Assistant Public Defender and was later appointed by Governor Haslam in 2018 as the District Public Defender. Mrs. Gardner has also been a member of the 15th Judicial Drug Court Team for the last 20 years. After serving as the Middle Tennessee Representative for 2019-2020, Secretary/Treasurer for 2020-2021 and Vice President for 2021-2022, she is currently the President for the Tennessee District Public Defenders Conference for 2022-2023. ‍ Mrs. Gardner is very active and involved with her office and throughout her community. She currently sits on the Board for the Wilson County Fair, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate), Teen Court, and is President Elect 2023-2024 for the Lebanon Breakfast Rotary. She was a 2017 graduate of Leadership Wilson and is also a Past President of Wilson ONE and of CASA.

Wilson County is located in the heart of Middle Tennessee, with three primary cities: Lebanon, Mt. Juliet, and Watertown.

Wilson County was established by an act of the Third General Assembly of the State of Tennessee on October 26, 1799, three years after the organization of the state itself, and consists of 583.27 square miles.

Creating collaborative pathways to resiliency, recovery, and independence for Tennesseans living with mental illness and substance use disorders.

Our vision is for a state of resiliency, recovery, and independence in which Tennesseans living with mental illness and substance use disorders thrive. We value: customer focus, integrity, inspired purpose, excellence, compassionate and effective leadership, solutions and outcomes-oriented goals, and partnership.