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SPECIALIZED DOCKETS

Enhance public safety, rebuild lives, and reduce recidivism through restorative justice.

Vision

The Specialized Docket Department links participants to behavioral health treatment providers, encourages independent recovery, sets individualized goals, and monitors personal progress, while providing trauma competent services and balancing accountability for criminal actions.

Mission

The mission of the Specialized Docket Department is to enhance public safety, rebuild lives, and reduce recidivism through restorative justice, while providing community education and support.

Goal

Our goal is to provide high quality programming for high-risk, high-need individuals using promising and evidence based practices. The staff is committed to building strong community treatment teams and working to enhance the knowledge of stakeholders and the larger community. The Department strives to be a model for the state and to advance the mission of Specialized Dockets wherever possible.

Programs

The Specialized Docket Department is made up of five specialized dockets certified by the Supreme Court of Ohio to provide intensive supervision to high-risk, high-need defendants. Admission to a specialized docket requires a referral by a defense attorney, prosecutor, or judge. The defendant must be assessed for eligibility and voluntarily plead guilty to an active charge to enter the program. Some cases are eligible for sealing and expungement upon successful completion of the program.

Download a one-pager flier about all the Court’s Specialized Docket programs.

Creating Autonomy Through Collaborative Healing

Judge Jodi Thomas

CATCH Court exists to break the cycle of abuse for victims of human trafficking, prostitution, and sexual exploitation by providing resources, community, and accountability.

Helping Achieve Recovery Together

Judge Jodi Thomas

h.a.r.t. is a two-year, four-phase, opioid-specific drug court giving defendants with a history of treatment refusal or non-compliance the opportunity to engage in addiction treatment.

Learning to Identify & Navigate Change

Judge Gina Russo

LINC Court, formally Mental Health Court, works with defendants dealing with mental illness. Participants spend their time in LINC receiving mental health and substance use treatment while working toward a more stable life.

Military & Veteran Services

Judge Jarrod Skinner

MAVS is a voluntary specialized docket with a focus on helping Veterans regain their discipline by reducing criminal behavior.

Effective Treatment as an Alternative to Incarceration

Judge Jessica G. D'Varga

Recovery Court addresses the needs of defendants whose primary dependency on alcohol or non-opiate drugs results in criminal charges and low-level felonies.

Catch 101

CATCH 101 is a three day class that is designed to assist defendants that have been charged with their first or second soliciting offense or have other non-soliciting offenses but have been identified as being involved in the early stages of prostitution/sex trafficking. Often the offense can be dismissed by the presiding judge after successful completion of the classes.

CATCH 101 gives defendants who are not fully enmeshed in prostitution/sex trafficking the benefit of access to CATCH Court’s rich resources in order to prevent further offenses and to assist the defendant in gaining stability in their life.

The decision to offer CATCH 101 to a defendant is made by the prosecutor, public defender, and presiding judge on the case. Classes are typically offered by CATCH Court staff on a monthly basis. For more information please visit our Employee Directory for current CATCH staff.

Drug Education Program (DEP)

The Drug Education Program (DEP) offers participants the opportunity to have a low-level, drug-related felony charge pled down to a misdemeanor. Upon successful completion of the program, the plea would be vacated and the case would be dismissed with the potential for sealing. This allows those with eligible felonies to avoid the felony charge on their record. A felony charge on a person's record can affect many aspects of a person’s life including loss of or difficulty securing housing, loss of or difficulty securing employment, loss of access to some community resources, and/or custody issues for those with minor children.

By creating the opportunity for participants to reduce their felony charge, the DEP program is working to keep people in the community and connected to social support and employment networks while providing education on substance use and community resources.

For more information please visit our Employee Directory for current staff.

Philosophy

The underlying philosophy of restorative justice informs the model of the Specialized Dockets Department. The programs are based in a treatment team approach consisting of the presiding judge, coordinators, designated probation officer, defense attorney, prosecutor, and representatives from community treatment providers. The treatment team meets weekly to review potential admissions and progress of current participants, to make referrals, evaluate individualized treatment plans, and determine appropriate interventions and dosage. The goal is to move participants through the phases of the program as they demonstrate their ability to internalize concepts and apply coping skills in their daily lives. Rewards are frequently used and sanctions up to and including limited jail can be imposed.

Specialized Docket Certification

The Supreme Court of Ohio requires all Specialized Dockets to become fully certified in a two stage process. The first phase is the submission of documentation including the administrative order, program description, participation agreement, and the participant handbook. During the second phase, Supreme Court staff complete a site visit to observe the treatment team meeting, status review hearing, and provide feedback to the presiding judge and staff. All certification standards and current practice guidelines must be met or exceeded to receive full certification which is valid for three years.