on until their case was actually heard. The carrot-and-stick message wasn't getting across, at least not in English.

To her credit, Mundell took special ownership of the "DUI courts", by which she monitors the progress, or lack of it, among the probationers. The results are encouraging.

According to statistics furnished by the court, the Spanish DUI "court" participant is more likely to graduate than participants in the mainstream court.

Remember, the purpose of this program is to drill into offenders the gravity of DUI and to turn their lives around so they won't do it again.

The goal is greater public safety, not just for Spanish speakers but for everyone in Maricopa County.

For the average taxpayer and resident, that's a good thing.

Nevertheless, Thomas is convinced the very existence of the Spanish-speaking process creates a segregated court system and is an affront to the U.S. Constitution, due process, the First Amendment and the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.

But here's what he needs to consider about the DUI Spanish-speaking "court":

• It's not a court of record. There are no trials, per se. It's an administrative process, part of probation, part of the sentence handed down by the original court, which is conducted in English.

• The programs were established through grants from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, presumably vetted through their legal departments. The programs are designed to reduce repeat DUIs, not create a separate justice system.

• The process is designed to communicate more effectively with the participants and is identical, except for the language of the participants, as the regular DUI court. There are headsets and translations available for the non-Spanish speakers attending the sessions.

• Prior to conviction, the Superior Court handles all the defendants equally, in English-speaking proceedings with translators available.

• All participants choose which program, English or Spanish, they want to be part of. There is not a question of special benefits or unequal access to justice.

• The special DUI court is a practical and cost-effective way of administering the process by placing all Spanish speakers in one place, where they understand better what's happening.

Our take: The court's Spanish-speaking DUI program is a pragmatic solution to the problem of drunken driving. The primary beneficiary is public safety.

Let's assume, for the sake of argument, Thomas' ill-conceived crusade is successful. That the "courts" were abolished to avoid a political battle.

Andrew Thomas would have his attention-getting headlines.

But Maricopa County residents would be at greater risk.

It's not a fair trade.