In the mid-eighties, Dade County, Florida established the first drug court in the United States. As a local judge, the author was originally opposed to the concept. However, he decided to preside over the Drug Court, not really knowing if it worked. After a few months it was clear— Drug Courts work. "Social Worker with a 2' by 4'" is both a memoir about his life and the collected knowledge Judge Apotheker gained (and imparted) about Drug Court and about addiction, sobriety, recovery and death during this opiate epidemic.