Honorable Judge Frank Ardis, Jr., Mansfield Municipal Court, announced his court has earned final certification from the Ohio Supreme Court’s Commission on Specialized Dockets for each of four Specialized Docket Programs operated by the Court.
The Court’s Specialized Docket Programs include Veteran’s Court, Mental Health Court, Domestic Violence Court and Treatment Court. In order to receive the certification, the Court had to submit an application, undergo a site visit by the Supreme Court and provide specific program materials in response to certification standards that went into effect in January.
Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor congratulated Mansfield Municipal Court and the judge for providing the leadership necessary to receive final certification.
“Specialized dockets have proven effective at addressing persistent criminal behaviors,” said O’Connor. “Specialized dockets result in significantly lower recidivism rates which means offenders become productive members of society, for which we all benefit.”
Specialized dockets are courts that are dedicated to specific types of offenses or offenders and use a combination of different techniques for holding offenders accountable while also addressing the underlying causes of their behavior. Although today Specialized Dockets are common in Ohio, Mansfield Municipal Court Judge Frank Ardis, Jr., has conducted Domestic Violence Court, Veteran’s Court, Mental Health Court and Treatment (Drug and Alcohol) Court since 2010.
The new standards provide a minimum level of uniform practices for specialized dockets throughout Ohio and allow local courts to innovate and tailor to meet their community’s needs and resources. Judge Ardis believes that the Specialized Docket Programs are designed to reduce recidivism and costs associated with incarceration, while protecting the public and modifying the criminal behavior of the offender.”
Guidelines established by the court were based on recommended practices and were outlined in the certification process including establishing eligibility requirements, evaluating effectiveness of the specialized docket and assembling a treatment team for implementing daily operations of the specialized docket. The team includes license treatment providers, law enforcement, court personnel and is headed by the specialized docket judge.
The Commission on Specialized Dockets has 22 members who advise the Supreme Court and its staff regarding the promotion of statewide rules and uniform standards concerning specialized dockets in Ohio courts; the development and delivery of specialized docket services to Ohio courts; and the creation of training programs for judges and court personnel. The commission makes all decisions regarding final certification.