A record number of judges, court staff, probation officers, counselors and other treatment providers gathered to exchange ideas and learn to improve services at the Ohio Specialized Dockets Conference.

The November 20th conference drew 488 attendees at the Fawcett Center on The Ohio State University campus for a day of workshops and discussions that helped professionals establish relationships and compare notes on ways to operate specialized dockets more effectively throughout Ohio and to explore innovative approaches to those dockets.

Since the establishment of the Hamilton County Drug Court in 1995, Ohio has established itself as a national leader in the implementation of specialized dockets. There are more than 150 specialized docket programs in operation throughout Ohio and the Ohio Supreme Court recently certified new dockets to begin operations next year.

View the complete list of courts.

Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor welcomed the crowd via video to the 11th annual conference. She recognized the importance of the work judges, court personnel, and treatment teams do to diligently offer alternatives through specialized dockets.

“Your dedication makes Ohio’s specialized docket programs work efficiently for the courts and successfully for the participants,” she said. “Ohio is on the leading edge and your involvement makes all the difference. Our mental health courts, veterans’ courts, drug courts and all other specialized docket programs can and do help many participants find goodness in their lives and put hope in their hearts.”

The chief justice also said the programs have proven to be effective based on the reductions in recidivism, improved treatment outcomes for those before the courts and cost savings the justice system is realizing.

The group was also greeted by Clermont County Probate and Juvenile Court Judge James Shriver, chair of the Supreme Court’s Commission on Specialized Dockets, and heard thoughts on how they could improve their effectiveness from psychologist Dr. Scott D. Miller, co-founder of the International Center for Clinical Excellence, who conducts workshops and training across the world to helping hundreds of agencies and organizations improve their results.

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