October 2, 2012 (BARNSTABLE) _ Special court sessions are being set up around the state to handle the legal challenges expected by drug defendants in the wake of a scandal at a state drug testing lab.

Judges have been assigned to run special sessions in district courts in Barnstable, Fall River, Brockton and several other jurisdictions.

Chemist Annie Dookhan was charged with obstruction of justice last week.

She allegedly acknowledged to State Police that she failed to follow testing protocols and altered results at the now-closed lab.