Legal

WASHINGTON — Thousands of veterans previously denied disability benefits for pain issues related to their military service may now be eligible for that assistance, thanks to a federal court ruling this week.

CHICAGO — A law passed last year requires every judicial circuit in Illinois to have a veterans treatment court starting Jan. 1.

The courts allow veterans who were honorably discharged to plead guilty to a crime in exchange for a probation sentence, The Chicago Tribune reported. The sentence requires frequent court visits and mental health or substance abuse treatment.

Veterans also can apply to have their records expunged upon completing the sentence. Those who use the courts typically face lower level felonies.

A measure allowing veterans easier access to medical marijuana garnered bipartisan support in Congress last year and nearly became law. A vote on Monday could be the end of the line this year in another attempt to pass it.

The Washington State Patrol has agreed to a $15 million settlement in a class action lawsuit over the hiring and promotion of military veterans. The case involves troopers and trooper applicants who did not receive preference points for their service in the military as mandated by state law.

As a result, some weren’t hired by the state patrol. Others like Sgt. Christina Martin—the lead plaintiff in the case—had to wait longer to get promoted.