THE AKRON

MUNICIPALCOURT

2004Annual Report2004Annual Report2004Annual Report

2

3

JUDGE CARLA MOOREPresiding /Administrative Judge for 2004

A word from Administrative/PresidingJudge Carla Moore

he Akron MunicipalCourt serves the peopleof Akron, Fairlawn,

Bath, Richfield, Springfield,Lakemore, and the SummitCounty portion of Mogadore. Atotal of 56,808 new cases werefiled in 2004. The total numberof criminal cases filed was16,833, an increase of 1,427from the previous year. The totalnumber of civil cases filed was12,002, plus 1,649 smallclaims cases. 26,324 new trafficcases were filed with the court.The court disposed of 56,881cases in 2004.

The court web site which wasunveiled in 2001, has become avaluable tool for the users of thecourt. By the close of the yearover 650,000 visitors hadviewed the court’s website. As we look to our future needs,upgrading the court’s main computer system and addingfeatures to the court websitewere in the planning stages in2004. We are making substantial progress towardscompleting our goals.

The Akron Municipal Court continues to be a national leader in providing cost effective, quality alternatives toincarceration and litigation. Inaddition to the Drug Court,Family Violence Court, and theMental Health Court, the courtalso runs a Mediation Program, a Discretionary RehabilitationProgram (DRP), and a LicenseIntervention Program (LIP). TheMunicipal Court has been ableto provide this wide variety ofdispositional alternatives whiledecreasing staffing levels by one employee and not raisingprogrammatic costs.

Judge Carla Moore

4

TABLE OF CONTENTS

6Judges Prepare

to Depart

DrugCourt8

Mental HealthCourt10

The Judges5

FastFacts

16

Clerk ofCourts

15

Website14

SmallClaims

13Probation11

Family ViolenceCourt

9

History of Court7

9,327

12,14

3

11,99

7

10,13

811,

302

2000 2001 2002 2003 200400

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

5

JUDGE JOHN E. HOLCOMB is a graduate of Baldwin-Wallace College and theUniversity of Akron School of Law. In the past, Judge Holcomb served asDirector of Law for the City of Akron and alsoserved as a member of the

Ohio State Board of Education as well as theAkron Board of Education.

JUDGE CARLA D. MOORE an Akron native, earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Akron andher law degree from the Ohio State UniversityCollege of Law. She hasserved as Municipal CourtJudge since her appoint-ment in June of 1989.

JUDGE ANNALISA S. WILLIAMSgraduated from Kent StateUniversity with an undergraduate degree inpolitical science, andreceived her masters degreein urban studies. Shereceived her law degreefrom the University of AkronLaw School. The judge has

served on the bench since December 2003.

JUDGE ELINORE MARSH STORMER graduated from Davidson College with an undergraduate degree in history. She earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Akron graduating in the top of her class. She was

elected to the bench in 1991, re-elected in1993 and 1999.

JUDGE LYNNE S. CALLAHAN is a graduate of University of Akron and the University of Akron School of Law. She has served as an Akronpolice officer, an AssistantDirector of Law and anAssistant Summit CountyProsecutor. She was

appointed Judge in May 1997, and elected to the bench in November 1997.

JUDGE ALISON McCARTYgraduated from WheatonCollege and Wake ForestUniversity School of Law. She served as an AssistantSummit County prosecutorhandling felony criminal cases. She was appointedJudge in May, 1999, and elected to the bench inNovember, 1999.

The Court’s six judges are attorneys and are required by Ohio law to have practiced lawat least six years prior to becoming a judge. The judges are elected on a nonpartisanbasis and serve six-year terms. Their role is to supervise the administration of justice intheir respective courts and insure that all trials, court hearings, and administrative procedures are fair and just.

THE JUDGES

6

Judge Elinore Marsh Stormerwho was elected to the benchin 1991 was elected judge inthe Court of Common Pleas inNovember of 2004.

Judge Carla D. Moore was firstappointed to the bench in1989. Judge Moore was elected to the 9th District Court of Appeals in Novemberof 2004.

JUDGES PREPARE TO DEPART

As the Harold K. Stubbs

Building nears it’s

40th birthday, the judges

of the court and the court’sadministrative

office began to look to

the future needs of the

municipal judges,court staff and

the people servedby the court.

City-County Safety Building constructed around the existingSummit County Sheriff’s Office and Jail, which was torndown after the new building was completed.

The City-County Safety Building wasdedicated October 1966 and wasrenamed the Harold K. Stubbs Justice Center in 1991 after the late Harold K. Stubbs.

7

HISTORY OF COURTIn 1910 the legislature established a policecourt in Akron vested with jurisdiction overoffenses under the ordinances of the city andall misdemeanors committed within the limitsof Summit County. It was made a court ofrecord and was presided over by an attorneyduly admitted to practice in this state.

In 1919 the legislature established the Akron Municipal Court with three sitting judges elected for four-year terms. In 1930 twojudgeships were added to the court. In 1939the legislature reduced the number of judgesfrom five to four. A fifth judge was again madea member of the court in 1967 and the sixthjudgeship was created in 1975. The judgesnow serve six-year terms.

The court now serves a jurisdiction whichincludes the cities of Akron and Fairlawn; thetownships of Bath, Richfield, and Springfield;the villages of Lakemore and Richfield; andthat part of Mogadore in Summit County.

In 1966 the court moved into the City-CountySafety Building which was renamed the HaroldK. Stubbs Justice Center in 1991 located indowntown Akron. The sitting judges are JudgeJohn E. Holcomb, Lynne S. Callahan, ElinoreMarsh Stormer, Alison McCarty, Carla D.Moore, and Annalisa S. Williams.

Pardee, L.S. . . . . . . . . . . .1920 - 1923Marsh, F.G. . . . . . . . . . . .1920 - 1923O’Neil, A.F. . . . . . . . . . . . .1920 - 1925Zesiger, E.E. . . . . . . . . . .1924 - 1927Underwood, A.B. . . . . . . .1924 - 1925Davies, G. . . . . . . . . . . . .1926 - 1931Hoyt, C.C. . . . . . . . . . . . .1926 - 1931Cox, J.E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1928 - 1931Emmons, C.V.D. . . . . . . .1931 - 1942Roderick, O.M. . . . . . . . .1931 - 1961Colopy, S. . . . . . . . . . . . . .1932 - 1937Werner, H. . . . . . . . . . . . .1932 - 1935Harvey, F.H. . . . . . . . . . . .1932 - 1935Isham, D.P. . . . . . . . . . . .1935 - 1943Watters, R.B. . . . . . . . . .1936 - 1937Davies, G. . . . . . . . . . . . .1938 - 1939Kelly, C.M. . . . . . . . . . . . .1938 - 1950Powers, T.M. . . . . . . . . . .1939 - 1971

Sacks, C. . . . . . . . . . . . . .1943 - 1949Zook, A.D. . . . . . . . . . . . .1944 - 1959McRae, C.B. . . . . . . . . . .1951 - 1963Victor, W.H. . . . . . . . . . . .1950 - 1959Price, T.R. . . . . . . . . . . . .1960 - 1969Koplin, N. . . . . . . . . . . . . .1960 - 1963Riddle, J.P. . . . . . . . . . . . .1962 - 1969McCarty, A. . . . . . . . . .1998 - presentReed, E.J. . . . . . . . . . . . . .1964 - 1967VanBerg, H.N. . . . . . . . . .1964 - 1975Roulhac, J.D. . . . . . . . . . .1968 - 1987Hartnett, R.B. . . . . . . . . .1970 - 1981McFadden, D.B. . . . . . . .1970 - 1978Colopy, R.H. . . . . . . . . . . .1972 - 1995Winter, J.P. . . . . . . . . . . . .1976 - 1983George, J.J. . . . . . . . . . . .1976 - 1983Spicer, W.F. . . . . . . . . . . .1979 - 1981Murphy, J.E. . . . . . . . . . . .1980 - 1982

Schneiderman, T. . . . . . .1981 - 1991Mack, M. . . . . . . . . . . . . .1983 - 1997Williams, J.R. . . . . . . . . .1983 - 1989Maxson, R. . . . . . . . . . . .1983 - 1993Stubbs, H.K. . . . . . . . . . .1987 - 1989Bond, J. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1989 - 1991Moore, C.D. . . . . . . . . . . .1989 - 2004Bayer, E. . . . . . . . . . . . . .1991 - 1991Shapiro, M.A. . . . . . . . . .1991 - 2003Stormer, E.M. . . . . . . . . .1991 - 2004Callahan, M. . . . . . . . . . .1993 - 1995Carr, D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1995 - 1998Holcomb, J.E. . . . . . . .1996 - presentCallahan, L.S. . . . . . . .1997 - presentUnruh, B. . . . . . . . . . . . . .1998 - 1999McCarty, A. . . . . . . . . .1998 - presentStormer, B., . . . . . . . . . . .2003 - 2003Williams, A. S. . . . . . .2003 - present

Judge Alison McCarty is the AkronMunicipal Drug Court Judge. The Akron Municipal Drug Court began in1995 and is the longest running specialtycourt in Akron. Akron’s Drug Court continues to serve as a model program for many Drug Courts across the state. It is a collaborative effort between theAkron Municipal Court, Akron PoliceDepartment, Akron City Prosecutor’sOffice, Public Defender’s Office, AkronMunicipal Probation Department, SummitCounty Alcohol, Drug Abuse and MentalHealth Board, and Oriana House, Inc.

The Drug Court philosophy promotescourt-ordered, judicially supervised treatment. The participants are male and female offenders originally chargedwith felonies, either possession of cocaine or methamphetamine.

All prospective offenders are initiallyscreened by the Oriana House admissionsDepartment to determine eligibility.Police and prosecutors must also approvethe offender for admission into the DrugCourt program.

The program requires that the offendercome to court and plead guilty to a reduced, misdemeanor charge of

DRUG COURT

Judge McCarty speaks with Drug Court clientfrom the bench.

The Drug Court team with Judge McCarty.

Attempted Drug Abuse. A six-month jailsentence is then imposed, but suspended.During the course of the next year, theparticipant will undergo assessment andtreatment. The level of treatment isdetermined by the seriousness of theoffender’s addiction. At a minimum,each offender will meet with a caseworkerat least once a week, must attend AA meetings and undergo frequent drug testing.

The program is based on a reward/sanction model: if a participant stayssober and performs well in the program,he or she will receive rewards. If theoffender relapses with new drug use, or fails to comply with other aspects of the program, he or she will face graduated sanctions, starting with courtroom observation or a few days in jail, leading up to the final sanction for noncompliance: termination from the program and six months in theSummit County Jail.

The Drug Court is a successful method of treatment for offenders, and a majorcomponent of its success is the closesupervision and involvement of the judge.

8

9

FAMILY VIOLENCE COURT

the Early intervention Program and Stop the Cycle at the Battered Women’sShelter. They also have access to a victim advocate through every step ofthe proceedings.

Judge Callahan and program participant.

Staff from the Prosecutor’s Office review a file.

The Family Violence Court was implemented in April of 1998, in response to the growing number ofdomestic violence cases, the need toprovide a sanctioning option to reduce

jail crowding, the desire toaddress both victim andoffender needs, and the

desire to enhance probationsupervision and to protectthe public safety.

Akron’s FamilyViolence Court is a domestic violencediversion program, theonly one of its kind inOhio, and one of veryfew throughout thecountry. The actual

program is the combined brain-child of the Oriana House, Inc., the AkronMunicipal Court and its probationdepartment, Akron’s prosecutor’s officeand police department, the SummitCounty Prosecutor’s Office, VictimAssistance, the Battered Women’sShelter, and the Public Defender’sOffice. The program provides increasedsupervision of the offender as well as increased coordination ofservices. Judge Lynne S. Callahan presides over the Family Violence Court.Offenders who enter the Family ViolenceCourt Program are required to completea twenty-six week violence cessationprogram, as well as case management,one year of probation, drug and alcoholtesting and counseling, when needed,and employment counseling, also whenneeded. Victims are urged to attend

10

The Akron Mental Health Courtwas the first of its kind in Ohio and remains one of ahandful in the United States.The Mental Health Court wasformed, in part, as a responseto the overwhelming numbersof mentally ill offenders being seen by the Akron Municipal Court.

This program is a collaborativeeffort between the SummitCounty ADM Board,Community Support Services,and the Akron Municipal Court.Residential treatment is provided by Oriana House,Inc., Sharp Program.The program is envisioned as adiversion program with a significant jail reduction component in the short andlong term. The model followsthe drug court model with early intervention and stablerelease into the communitywith multi-year intensive probation and frequent court

appearances. Prior to theMental Health Court, mentallyill offenders who were not stable on medications, werewaiting in jail for up to sixweeks before a competencyevaluation was completed. This diversion court reducesthe time spent in jail to lessthan two weeks. One of thegoals of the Mental Health Courtis to end the cycling of the mentally ill offender through thelocal jail and the state hospital.

Judge Williams and Mental Health Court team.One of the

goals of the

Mental Health Court

is to end the cycling

of the mentally ill

offender through the

local jail and the state

hospital.

MENTAL HEALTH COURT

Judge Williams talks with a client.

11

5120 offenders were referred by the judges and the traffic magistrate for various correctionalservices and specialized court services.

164 Presentence Investigation referrals werereceived.

422 Summary Presentence Investigation referralswere received.

602 persons were placed on traditional probation.

$31,014 was collected and disbursed by the RestitutionCoordinator.

2790 community service placements were made.

125 defendants entered the Family Violence Court,with a retention rate of 86%.

98 defendants entered the Drug Court with a reten-tion rate of 83%.

703 defendants were screened for the DiscretionaryRehabilitation Program…

593 were found to be eligible and approved, with aretention rate of 70%.

Below are listed some important departmental statistics for 2004:

Members of the Probation Department.

THE AKRON MUNICIPAL COURTPROBATION STAFF

12

THE AKRON MUNICIPAL COURT SERVICEBAILIFF’S STAFF

The Service Bailiffs’ Office iscomprised of 6 ServiceBailiffs, 1 Court Secretary/Court Records Officer, and theChief Bailiff. This office ischarged with the responsibilityto perform Evictions, Levies,Replevins, conduct BailiffSales, remove clubs, and provide personal service of allcourt documents generated byThe Akron Municipal Courtthat require individual service. Unlike the courtroom bailiffswho perform their duties in thecourtroom, the Service Bailiffsgo out into the community todo their job.

The Outside Bailiffs travelthroughout Summit County,into virtually every segment ofsociety to serve Bank Aids,F&D’s, Garnishments,Mandatory Orders, Show

Some members of theService Baillif’s Office.

Service Baillifs assist Judge McCarty with a wedding.

Causes, Small Claims,Subpoenas, and Summons.They also perform Evictions,Levies, Replevins, conduct Bailiff Sales, and remove clubsfrom vehicles immobilized byAkron, Richfield, Bath,Fairlawn, Lakemore,Springfield and Cuyahoga FallsPolice Departments.

13

Small claims magistrates handle many different types of cases. They hear evictions,small claims, rent deposits,garnishments/executions,mandatory orders, contempt/show cause, replevin andrevivor hearings. The office is staffed by two part-timemagistrates and support staff.The magistrates are SophieAlbrecht and Belinda Hinton.The support staff is Melissa Briggs.

SMALL CLAIMS DIVISION

Small Claims Magistrates.

TRAFFIC DIVISIONIn 2004 the trafficcourt staff handled6,809 cases. 104 ofthose cases were forDUI offenses, 1,639were for DUS offenses,3,703 MM, and 1,361M1-M4 cases. Picturedleft are Mick Williams,Traffic Safety Officer,Kathy Wheeler, JimConti and seated isKathy Culver TrafficMagistrate.

14

AKRON MUNICIPAL COURT WEBSITE

ARRAIGNMENT COURT

The Akron Municipal Court

website offersanother means

of providing additional

informationfor the people

it serves.

Visit our web site at: http://courts.ci.akron.oh.us/

Arraignments of misdemeanor and felonyprisoners are heard in the mornings in thearraignment room. Thiscourtroom is usually one of the busiest courtroomson any given day. Videoequipment allows theJudge to see and hear the defendant while thedefendant remains in the county jail.

By the end of 2004 over 600,000 visitors had accessed the courtwebsite. In response to user feedback the site was rearranged toprovide easier access to the special programs, records search andoutstanding check icons.

15

JIM LARIA,has beenClerk ofCourts sinceJanuary 1,1997. Lariais a graduateof TheUniversity ofAkron with aBachelor of

Science in Education and theNational Judicial College withcertification in CourtAdministration. Jim was anelected member of the AkronSchool Board and has worked inour court systems for more than24-years, serving as the ChiefDeputy Clerk of the AkronMunicipal Courts and Court

Administrator for the SummitCounty Probate Court. Jim Lariawas elected by his peers as thePresident of the NortheasternOhio Municipal Court Clerk’s Association.

Judicial Associate Laura Killian (center), heads the mediation program.

MEDIATION PROGRAM

The Court is fortunate to haveseveral retired judges availableto sit when a conflict arises, themunicipal judges attending a training seminar or confer-ence, or when they just need avacation day. Currently, JudgeWilliam Pike, Judge PerryDickinson, Judge Monte Mack,Judge Ted Schneiderman, andJudge Joyce George serve thecourt as visiting judges.

VISITING JUDGES

1616

FAST FACTS

DUS2,795

MM4,383

DUI217

M1-M41,637

F.D/Evictions3,880 Money Suits

7,161

Small Claims1,637

Damages489

License Pet24859

,238

58,1

47

26,3

24

Total Traffic Criminal Civil

26,5

96

16,8

3316

,571

13,6

51

13,7

14

Total Cases Filed / Disposed

Traffic Court Cases 2004

Top Five Civil Case Filings 2004

17

16,83

3

15,10

115

,406

13,78

9 14,77

6

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

12000

14000

16000

18000

10000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

5 Year Criminal Cases Filed

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

35,88

0

30,26

0

26,32

4

32,67

2

29,64

8

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

5 Year Traffic Cases Filed

9,327

12,14

3

11,99

7

10,13

811,

302

2000 2001 2002 2003 200400

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

5 Year Civil Cases Filed

1,755

1,429

1,637

1,863

1,470

002000 2001 2002 2003 2004

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

20000

5 Year Small Claims Cases Filed

18

19

Visit our website at: http: //courts.ci.akron.oh.us

THE AKRON

MUNICIPALCOURTHarold K. Stubbs Justice Center217 South High StreetAkron, Ohio 44308(7th, 8th and 9th Floors)