Conneaut Court to start special docket
Dec. 26—CONNEAUT — The application to create a special docket for the Conneaut Municipal Court will be filed with the Ohio Supreme Court soon, said Judge Nicolas Iarocci.
The specialized docket will be called Renewal Court, Iarocci said, and will be for those suffering from substance abuse, mental health disorders or both.
"I wanted to have it that way, based on my experience with specialized dockets, I wanted to leave open the opportunity for those who suffer from either or both to participate," Iarocci said.
When Iarocci was county prosecutor, he was an active member of the treatment team for the adult drug court, he said.
There will be a pair of tracks a person can be on in Renewal Court, a diversion track and a post-conviction track, Iarocci said.
Those on the diversion track would have their charges dismissed after successfully completing the program, while someone on the post-conviction track would be sentenced to Renewal court, he said.
The court would be open to Ashtabula County residents who are charged with criminal or traffic offenses that are first through fourth degree misdemeanors, according to the rules for the court. Anyone charged with OVI, sex crimes, crimes involving the use of a weapon, or crimes with children or the elderly as victims are ineligible for the program. Offenders charged with a violent crime are only eligible if the city's law director requests they be placed in the program, with the consent of the victim.
To complete the program, a participant must complete community service hours; comply with treatment orders; display a change in their thinking, attitude and beliefs; maintain consistent employment and housing and paid off fines and various costs, among other requirements.
The goal of the program is to reduce recidivism, get participants out of the criminal justice system, help manage mental health issues of participants and overcome their substance abuse issues, Iarocci said.
"That's the true end-all, is to get them out of the criminal justice process and help them deal with their disorders," he said.
The Ashtabula Municipal Court also has a special docket court.
"[Judge Laura DiGiacomo]'s obviously experienced success with that specialized docket," Iarocci said.
Eastern County Court Judge Harold Specht has recently started a specialized docket for veterans, and the Ashtabula County Court of Common Pleas and Juvenile Court both have specialized dockets of their own, according to the Ohio Supreme Court.
"One thing I've noticed since being judge in Conneaut is there are many of those who are before the court on criminal matters that suffer from mental health disorders," Iarocci said. "And I think they're exacerbated by their substance use, but I think most of them have underlying mental health disorders, that, with more intensive treatment through our Renewal Court, hopefully they can overcome and better manage their mental health and substance abuse issues."
Iarocci said he plans to submit the application to the Supreme Court this week.
"The Supreme Court gives us interim certification ... then they come out and they interview, and observe proceedings in our Renewal Court," he said.
The process can take six to nine months, but that number could change even further, depending on how many applications there are to review.
This is one of the last goals Iarocci had from when he ran for Conneaut Municipal Judge that has not yet been accomplished, he said.
"This is one that I've been chomping at the bit, ready to get going, and I'm just so happy that it's finally here," Iarocci said.
