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The Supreme Court of Ohio annual report - Supreme Court - State of ...

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Domestic Violence Program<br />

<strong>The</strong> Domestic Violence Program is the newest addition to the Office<br />

<strong>of</strong> Judicial & <strong>Court</strong> Services. In September, the <strong>Court</strong> hired the first<br />

full-time program manager for this program, Diana Ramos-Reardon.<br />

<strong>The</strong> program was established to expand the <strong>Supreme</strong> <strong>Court</strong>’s efforts<br />

to assist and support local courts with best practices and procedures in<br />

civil and criminal domestic violence cases and stalking cases, increase<br />

victim safety and hold <strong>of</strong>fenders accountable. <strong>The</strong> program tracks<br />

trends in the domestic violence field and disseminates the information<br />

to local courts and allied pr<strong>of</strong>essionals. <strong>The</strong> program works closely with<br />

the Advisory Committee on Domestic Violence, which is appointed by<br />

the Chief Justice.<br />

Prior to the creation <strong>of</strong> the program, the Specialized Dockets<br />

Section, through Program Manager Christine Raffaele, provided<br />

leadership to the <strong>Supreme</strong> <strong>Court</strong>’s domestic violence initiative,<br />

including providing staff support to the Advisory Committee on<br />

Domestic Violence (ACDV).<br />

Under the tenure <strong>of</strong> the Specialized Dockets Section, the<br />

ACDV recommended changes to the domestic violence and<br />

stalking protection order forms. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Supreme</strong> <strong>Court</strong> adopted the<br />

recommended changes effective May 1, 2007. In addition to this<br />

work, the Specialized Dockets Section staff worked closely with<br />

ACDV subcommittees to develop new standardized forms, including<br />

motions and entries to modify or terminate a protection order and<br />

pro se contempt forms; to propose language for legislation addressing<br />

competing and conflicting protection orders and the non-enforcement<br />

<strong>of</strong> protection orders due to uncertainty in service; to outline a model<br />

court rule on preferred practices when issuing domestic violence and<br />

stalking protection orders; and to draft a rule amendment to ensure<br />

compliance with federal weapons laws. <strong>The</strong> Specialized Dockets Section<br />

staff, in conjunction with the ACDV, also provided meaningful input to<br />

the <strong>Ohio</strong> attorney general’s protection order registry project regarding<br />

the proper content and use <strong>of</strong> the protection order forms.<br />

<strong>The</strong> new, full-time program manager continues to further these<br />

endeavors and explore other issues, including teen dating violence,<br />

judicial notification to domestic violence <strong>of</strong>fenders regarding their<br />

possible firearms disability and impact <strong>of</strong> witnessing domestic violence<br />

on children. <strong>The</strong> program staff also represents the <strong>Supreme</strong> <strong>Court</strong><br />

in statewide, interdisciplinary groups, including the Family Violence<br />

Prevention Center Advisory Council, to ensure proper understanding<br />

<strong>of</strong> the judicial system’s role as it concerns domestic violence. Internally,<br />

staff collaborates with the other sections and programs at the <strong>Supreme</strong><br />

<strong>Court</strong> to lend expertise regarding domestic violence and stalking.<br />

Advisory Committee<br />

on Domestic Violence<br />

Diana Ramos-Reardon,<br />

Staff Liaison<br />

Hon. Debra Boros, chair<br />

Robin Bozian<br />

Joe Ellison<br />

Doug Engel<br />

Josh Engel<br />

Lisa Eschleman<br />

Jeff Ginsburg<br />

Rose Handon<br />

Karen Harvey<br />

John Jackson<br />

Hon. Denise M. Kaminski<br />

M. Catherine Kurila<br />

Faye List<br />

Nancy Neylon<br />

Sally Pack<br />

Alexandria Ruden<br />

Michael F. Sheils<br />

Barbara Vanarsdall<br />

Hon. Sandra Walker<br />

Kevin B. Ward<br />

55

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