Supreme Court of Ohio 2006 Annual Report - Supreme Court - State ...

The Judicial & Court Services Division is
primarily responsible for supporting the trial and
appellate courts of Ohio in the administration of
justice. This is accomplished through the work of the
Judicial College, four separate sections and two ongoing
programs. The division helps write policy regarding
the administration of justice, trains judicial officers and
other court staff, offers support to the local courts and
helps provide access to funding.
The division provides traditional and innovative services
in response to and with respect for the needs of the courts
and the public, primarily through the work of different
areas of specialization within the division, including the
Judicial College, the Case Management Section, the Dispute
Resolution Section, the Specialized Dockets Section, the
Interpreter Services Program, the Court Relations Program
and the newly created Children, Families & the Courts
Section
Building on the creation three years ago of the advisory
committee of the same name, Children, Families & the Courts
Section staff lead all court-reform efforts in the area of law
impacting those children and families who have contact with
Ohio’s courts.
Further, in 2006, the Advanced Science & Technology
Adjudication Resource program (ASTAR) began with staff
support from the Judicial College. Twenty Ohio judges
underwent intensive training throughout the year in a
number of different areas of science to be able to serve as
judicial resources when those complex issues go before
courts.
Additionally, amendments to Sup. R. 16 were presented
to the Court by the Dispute Resolution Section and adopted
with an effective date of Jan. 1, 2007. The amendments
mandate that a court with a local rule for mediation must
include procedural and training requirements in the rule.
Office of Judicial & Court Services
The Office of Judicial & Court Services is the lead office of
the division, responsible for coordinating the efforts of the
various sections and overseeing the Interpreter Services and
Court Relations programs.
In 2006, the Office of Judicial & Court Services assisted
local courts in the preparation of proposals to add judgeships
and change part-time judgeships to full-time. No fewer than
10 such proposals were under consideration throughout the
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