Certification Procedures and Information

The Ohio Supreme Court has adopted rule amendments that outline the procedures to receive Supreme Court certification for a specialized docket program. Under the certification amendments, courts operating specialized dockets are required to submit an application, undergo a site visit, and submit specific program materials to the Specialized Docket Section as part of the certification process. While the standards seek to create a minimum level of uniform practices for specialized dockets, they still allow local specialized dockets to innovate and tailor their specialized docket to respond to local needs and resources. In addition, specialized dockets that comply with the initial stages of the certification process will be initially certified pending a final review. Specialized docket programs are required to be initially certified by January 1, 2014. The amendments also create a new Commission on Specialized Dockets and amend the definition of a specialized docket in the Code of Judicial Conduct. The new commission will be the body that applies the certification requirements and determines which programs are certified.

Certification is granted when the written materials submitted by each court and observations made during the site review demonstrate compliance with the certification standards. Topics that are not expressly set forth in the certification standards are not evaluated.

Specialized Docket Map

Constitutional Rights of Participants Guidance

Substance Monitoring Guidance

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