TACOMA, Wash. — The people who once put Cody Nagle, 38, in handcuffs and others who sentenced her to jail time - all gathered to celebrate her in a place all too familiar to her past - the Pierce County Superior Courthouse.
For more than a decade - Cody Nagle was on a path that involved drug use, living on the streets, and spending time behind bars.
Then:
Nagle was just 14 years old when she started using drugs and alcohol.
She was born in Seattle but moved around Puget Sound when she was facing a substance abuse disorder.
Over the years — Nagle racked up 20 arrests, two felony convictions, four misdemeanor convictions and two gross misdemeanor convictions. All offenses were related to drug use and possession.
"I felt completely out of control and it's scary," said Nagle in an exclusive interview with KING 5. "When I was going through some of the hardest times in my teens and early 20s and being arrested repeatedly - there was mostly a lot of fear, not understanding how to change my behavior."
Nagle found herself facing homelessness and struggling to find the right recovery treatment for herself.
"I often was concerned about my life or my safety, but also, just like, 'What happens next?'" Nagle said. "I didn't think I'd live to be 38."
When Nagle was 26, and after the final time Nagle was arrested and sentenced in Pierce County Felony Drug Court - something clicked.
She recalled the moment a counselor's words deeply impacted her.
"I think it took somebody being like, 'You just have to do it,'" Nagle said. "'At some point – you're going to die or go to prison – those are your options - or you're going to get well.' I trusted her."
In 2013 - Nagle completed the drug court program. She graduated and moved on to a new stage of her life out of handcuffs and in recovery.
Now:
On the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 9, inside a Pierce County Superior Courtroom - Nagle sworn in to the Washington State Bar Association.
Her husband Erik, and her three children ranging in age from seven to 14, watched the ceremony via Zoom from Washington, D.C.
Nagle has been working hard ever since her drug court graduation.
She attended classes through the Syracuse University College of Law hybrid program while raising her kids. Her husband was stationed at Naval Station Norfolk for much of that time.
In addition to her family commitments and law school studies - Nagle was also a public engagement advisor at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.
Currently, she is a legislative attorney at the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association (LAPPA).
Her husband will retire from the U.S. Navy in the next few months. The Nagle Family plans to move to the Tacoma area.
In addition to practicing law in Washington state - Nagle hopes to continue influencing statewide drug treatment initiatives through legislative work in Olympia.
Nagle also passed the Washington, D.C., Bar Exam. She is working through the appeals process to be sworn in there as well.
From her past:
Officers, a prosecutor, and a judge from Nagle's past were all in attendance for her swearing-in ceremony.
KING 5 was granted special access to be inside the courtroom that day.
"This is a unique first," said Judge Ed Murphy, Pierce County. "A [a drug court] graduate is now going to be sworn in as a member of the Washington State Bar and that's a very exciting moment for all of us."
Nagle once stood before Judge Murphy as a defendant, but on Oct. 9 - he read her the bar association oath.
"The thing I remember about you was sincerity in establishing your sobriety and motivation," said Murphy to Nagle during the intimate ceremony of family and close friends. "I got an inkling from the beginning that you were going to be an advocate of some sort."
Pierce County Drug Felony Court was implemented in 1994. The program has evolved over the years.
The advocates continuously work on the support system to ensure success for participants.
A wall of the courtroom contains photos of people who were in the program but passed away.
Nagle became emotional when she saw that wall and expressed her gratitude for the support she received to stay alive and find her way.
Another familiar face from Nagle's past was Pierce County Deputy Prosecutor Rose Wilhelm. She's nearing 34 years on the job and has been involved in the drug court system for 28 years.
Wilhelm, who saw Nagle in court about 12 times - said it was hard to describe her feelings during the ceremony.
"The program is designed to help people getting to recovery and change their lives," Wilhelm said. "So, this is the first in the 28 years that I've had somebody come back and be sworn in as an attorney. It's an amazing, incredible program that gives people opportunities to change their life and Cody is an example of that."
During her teens and early 20s - Nagle said she often "ran into" the same officers repeatedly around different parts of Puget Sound.
One of the officers recalled how he felt when he would see Nagle struggling on the streets.
"The next time I arrested her, I told her, 'I was scared for you out there,'" said Bill Koonce, a retired Lynnwood Police sergeant. "I have a lot of bad stories. This is my best good story."