Legal leverage is broadly defined as the use of legal authority to promote treatment
adherence. It is widely utilized within mental health courts, drug courts, mandated outpatient
treatment programs, and other intervention strategies for individuals with mental illness or
chemical dependency who have contact with the criminal justice system. Nonetheless, the
ethics of using legal authority to promote treatment adherence remains a hotly debated
issue within public and professional circles alike. While critics characterize legal leverage as …