Page 8 - March April 24 CBA Report

SPECIALTY
DOCKETS Offer a Therapeutic Approach to Case Resolution
Hamilton County Municipal Court is one of the busiest courts in this jurisdiction. In 2022, more than 16,000 misdemeanors, 2,500 OVI offenses, and 45,000 traffic charges were filed or reactivated in municipal court. These charges are typically resolved before one of the five magistrates or 14 municipal court judges using the traditional, adversarial process. County and city prosecutors and defense attorneys act in their respective roles taking cases through trial or plea negotiations. However, by using specialized
By Hon. Gwen Bender
Municipal Court). Once a referral is made, an assessment is conducted to see if the offender meets the docket requirements, such as the type of criminal offense, diagnosis of a mental health condition, or prior service as a veteran. Certain convictions may make the offender ineligible. Even though program require- ments vary, the offender is usually required to observe a docket session so they can see first-hand how the docket functions and what is required for participation. The defendant must agree to
dockets, a number of these cases are resolved in a non-ad- versarial process.
These dockets connect participants
to government benefits, medical and mental health services, and require that the participants successfully progress through a multi-level treatment program.
the docket treatment terms. These dockets connect partic- ipants to government benefits, medical and mental health services, and require that the participants successfully progress through a multi- level treatment program. All four dockets employ social workers, probation officers, and medical professionals to
Hamilton County Munic-
ipal Court has four specialized
dockets: Change Court,
Mental Health Court, Veterans
Treatment Court, and the
newly formed Recovery
Docket. These dockets offer a
more therapeutic approach to providing court supervision and appropriate treatment to the parties charged with offenses. These dockets allow the supervising judges to balance their duties of protecting public safety and ensuring compliance with the law, along with recognition that certain offenders may need additional help due to mental illness, substance abuse, and/or trauma. To participate, offenders must first admit their responsibility to the charges, by entering either a guilty or no contest plea. Each of the four probation-based programs focus on sobriety and stability. The programs combine inpatient and outpatient treatments, along with a detailed plan of advancement through various phases. Rewards and sanctions are used to guide the offenders through treatment.
navigate the needs of the participants. Most of these programs require residency/domicile in Hamilton County. All four special- ized dockets require a greater commitment of time and dedication than that of a typical probation schedule.
Successful completion of a docket is not guaranteed. Partic- ipation begins with weekly court appearances, coupled with mandatory treatment meetings. The participants work with treat- ment providers, probation officers, counselors, and clinicians throughout the year-long process. As they progress through their program’s phases, court appearances lessen and agency appoint- ments and individual responsibility for treatment needs increase. The judges, working with their team of providers, guide the defen- dants and administer sanctions as needed. If a participant does not meet the program’s requirements, despite attempts to redirect towards success, removal from the program may result. Violations of the program’s terms may result in revocation of probation and imposition of a jail term. Those who complete the program are
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THE REPORT | March/April 2024 | CincyBar.org
Each of the four programs has unique requirements, but some are shared by all four. Referrals for assessment for any of these dockets can be made by any judge, attorney, probation officer, police officer, or community partner (i.e., clinic, JFS, service providers, or the pretrial department within Hamilton County