Hon. David Sweat

David Sweat, a native of Tifton, Georgia, practiced law in Athens, Georgia from 1979 until 2002. In 2002, voters in Athens-Clarke and Oconee Counties elected him to on open seat on the bench of the Superior Courts of the Western Judicial Circuit. In 2007, Judge Sweat convened a group of mental health, law enforcement and judicial professionals to form the Justice-Mental Health Collaborative.

The Justice-Mental Health Collaborative (JMHC) seeks to change system responses to justice-involved individuals who have behavioral health treatment needs.  In 2008, JMHC obtained grant funding to establish a mental health accountability court called “Treatment and Accountability Court.”  The Treatment and Accountability Court’s docket is comprised of cases against individuals whose behavioral health challenges caused arrest and entry into the criminal justice system. Judge Sweat presided over Treatment and Accountability Court until his retirement from active service as a superior court judge in 2017.
In 2014, Judge Sweat led the JMHC to conduct a community mapping project and to begin exploring early diversion opportunities for individuals with behavioral health challenges.  In 2015, JMHC obtained a grant which allowed Athens-Clarke County to partner with Advantage Behavioral Health Systems, the local community service board, to start a co-responder program. The partnership fielded its first co-responder team in 2016.  The co-responder program now has two teams and Athens-Clarke County has allocated funds for creation of additional teams. In the 2022 legislative session, Judge Sweat participated in drafting and presenting the Georgia Law Enforcement Behavioral Health Co-Responder Act, SB 403.  Judge Sweat also drafted provisions of HB 1013 related to involuntary treatment.  Judge Sweat serves on state-wide advisory committees on Co-Responders Initiatives and Assisted Out-Patient Enhancement Initiatives. 

In addition to serving as a senior superior court judge, Judge Sweat acts as an arbitrator, mediator and special master.  He serves as chair of the Board of Advantage Behavioral Health Systems.