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FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. — 09/29/2026— Fayette County State Court received multiple prestigious honors at the 2026 Council of Accountability Court Judges (CACJ) Annual Conference, including Model Court recognition for 2027–2029 and four STAR Awards recognizing members of the Fayette County State Court team for their hard work, leadership, compassion and dedication to accountability court participants.
Fayette County’s 2026 honorees are:
● Judge of the Year: The Honorable Jason B. Thompson
● Coordinator of the Year: Jourdan Crawford
● Prosecutor of the Year: Neekisia Jackson
● Law Enforcement Officer of the Year: Sgt. Mikal Montford, Fayetteville Police
Department
● Model Court: Fayette County DUI/Drug Court
CACJ distinguishes accountability court professionals across Georgia through its STAR Awards, recognizing individuals for their hard work and dedication to the programs they serve. For Fayette County, the recognition represents more than a collection of individual awards. It reflects the work of an entire team committed to accountability, treatment, compassion and giving participants the opportunity for second chances while helping them build more stable and productive futures.
From Data-Driven Success to Model Court
The 2026 recognition builds on a major accomplishment from the previous year. In 2025, Fayette County State Court received CACJ’s Data Driven Award under the direction of Judge Jason B. Thompson and Coordinator Jourdan Crawford. CACJ created the Data Driven Award to recognize programs that effectively use data and case-management systems to improve program and participant outcomes. The award also provides up to $15,000 in financial support for continued program evaluation.
Fayette County DUI/Drug Court has now been designated a Model Court for 2027 through 2029. CACJ’s Model Court program recognizes accountability courts that demonstrate strong performance and adherence to Georgia’s Accountability Court Standards and identifies strong programs that can serve as mentors and resources for other courts.
As a Model Court, Fayette County will also have the opportunity to participate in peer reviews of other accountability courts across Georgia, sharing its experience and helping other programs identify opportunities for improvement.
Model Court and Beyond
The Fayette County State Court team is already looking toward what comes next.
“Our team is committed to bringing the best treatment and the best court possible to Fayette County. Now that we have been recognized as a Model Court, we want to continue pushing ourselves, learning from others and ultimately work toward being nationally recognized for the work we are doing here in Fayette County,” Judge Jason B. Thompson said.
The Model Court designation provides Fayette County with an opportunity not only to continue strengthening its own programs, but also to share its experience with accountability courts across Georgia.
The combination of the Data Driven Award in 2025, Model Court recognition for 2027–2029 and four STAR Awards in 2026 reflects a continued commitment to using data, collaboration and individualized treatment while recognizing that accountability and compassion can work together to create meaningful opportunities for second chances.
With the recognition comes a new opportunity: to build on what Fayette County has accomplished, continue improving the court’s programs and share those practices with other courts working toward better outcomes for participants, their families and safer communities.
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