Akron Municipal Judge Ron Cable’s work on developing a human trafficking court began more than two years ago. It is fully certified as an Ohio Supreme Court specialized docket until the end of 2022.

Akron Municipal Judge Ron Cable’s work on developing a human trafficking court began more than two years ago. It is fully certified as an Ohio Supreme Court specialized docket until the end of 2022.

After years of planning and executing, Akron Municipal Court has become the latest beacon of hope for survivors of human trafficking who end up in the judicial system.

Restore Individual Self-Empowerment (RISE) Court, a specialized docket that identifies and aids female victims of human trafficking sexual exploitation, recently received full certification from the Ohio Supreme Court.

“RISE has made such an impact in our community and reaching specialized docket status is exciting for all involved,” said Judge Ron Cable, who presides over the docket.

Originally launched as a court-sponsored program in October 2018, RISE achieved initial certification last January after it was cleared administratively by the Supreme Court. The Court’s Specialized Dockets Section then conducted a site visit review to see how the specialty program operates, and presented those findings as part of an approval recommendation to the Commission on Specialized Dockets.

Among the Court’s criteria are establishing eligibility requirements, evaluating the effectiveness of the specialized docket, and assembling a treatment team for implementing daily operations of the specialty court.

The team – headed by the presiding judge – can include licensed treatment providers, law enforcement, and court personnel.

Team members are part of a larger network of social support. RISE has approximately 20 community partners that aid with legal and personal troubles impacting the program’s approximately 15 participants.

Judge Cable, who also handles a drug court that focuses on domestic violence offenses, followed the guidance of some of the state’s pioneering human trafficking courts. He was a magistrate at Summit County Juvenile Court when it initiated Ohio’s first human trafficking docket for minors in 2015.

After being elected as a judge in 2017, he shadowed the state’s first court dedicated to survivors in Franklin County, which began in 2009.

“I certainly didn’t want to fail at this, because I know there are victims in our community,” Judge Cable said when his program was featured going through the Court’s approval process.

In addition to Summit County Juvenile Court, Ohio’s other fully certified human trafficking specialized dockets are at Cleveland, and Hamilton County municipal courts. Youngstown Municipal Court has an initial certification.

RISE is Akron Municipal Court’s sixth specialized docket. The others focus on substance use disorders, mental health issues, repeat offenders for operating a vehicle under the influence, and a veterans treatment court.