Lorain County Veterans Treatment Court certified by Ohio Supreme Court

Lorain County Veterans Treatment Court was officially certified Tuesday by the Ohio Supreme Court's Commission on Specialized Dockets for a fifth three-year period since it was first created. Led by Lorain County Probate Judge James Walther, the special docket court had to submit an application, be visited by state officials and provide specific program materials to meet certification standards. In a news release, Walther gave credit to the Veterans Treatment Court team that includes Probation Officer Charles Schaffer; Administrator Jessica Moore; case manager Hailey Guzman; Prosecutor Allan Regas; Michael Casto, veterans justice outreach specialist; Anna Aston of Riveon; Larry Amato of the Lorain County Veterans Service Commission; and defense attorneys Zachary Simonoff and Anthony Rich. Schaffer, Simonoff and Moore "were instrumental in creating the program back in 2013 and 2014," Walther said. "I am also thankful for the continuing support of Lorain County Prosecutor Tony Cillo. He supported this program from the beginning." Walther, a Democrat, has presided over Veterans Treatment Court for the past 11 years, making him the second-longest serving Common Pleas judge in Ohio to oversee such a court. Specialized dockets address specific treatment needs of people who are charged with crimes, using best practices that focus on accountability, behavior change and recovery. Ohio has more than 255 specialized dockets focused on drug and alcohol addiction, mental health, domestic violence, human trafficking and veterans issues. Chief Justice Sharon Kennedy congratulated Walther and the Veterans Treatment Court for meeting standards for final certification. "Specialized dockets offer an alternative to incarceration, and reflect a community's belief in second chances," Kennedy, a Republican, said in a news release. "They focus on people who are willing to work to overcome the personal challenges that led to their involvement in the justice system. The court and community partners work together to supervise treatment, training, and support, providing local solutions to local problems under leadership of the local court."