Ohio’s first specialized docket serving individuals facing drug addiction celebrated 30 years of dedication to the issue during a recent graduation ceremony.

Established in 1995, the program at Hamilton County Common Pleas Court has been saving lives, strengthening communities, and offering alternatives to incarceration when appropriate.

Since then, three judges have presided over the docket.

It was formed under the leadership of retired Judge Deidra Hair, who garnered the support of legal and community partners to make the program possible.

“Judge Hair set the tone and the road map for the drug court here,” said Judge Nicole Sanders, who currently presides over the docket. “It was a novel idea at the time — focusing on treatment instead of punishment.”

According to Judge Sanders, the docket was modeled after the very first of its kind in Miami-Dade County.

After Judge Hair’s six-year tenure, Judge Kim Burke led the specialized docket for two decades through the crack cocaine epidemic and the rise of opioid addiction.

Most recently, Judge Sanders took office in 2021 with a vision to modernize the program and expand access in response to the fentanyl crisis.

“This celebration is about honoring Judge Hair’s vision, Judge Burke’s continuation, and showing that we’re still here fighting for people who suffer from this disease,” Judge Sanders said.

One of her priorities after taking the bench was to obtain official certification of the docket from the Supreme Court of Ohio.

“Certification signals to the community that we meet evidence-based standards and use the best treatment methods available,” Judge Sanders said.

During her tenure, Judge Sanders has seen more than 300 participants successfully graduate from the program. She is also proud of her docket’s recidivism rate of about 5%.

Those who don’t graduate still take something positive away from the experience. 

“Even in failure, people find some measure of success,” said Judge Sanders. “Some who don’t finish still walk away using less and living healthier than before.”

The docket uses a multidisciplinary approach. In addition to court staff, the team includes prosecutors, defense attorneys, probation officers, and clinicians.

It focuses on treatment over punishment while teaching participants to manage their disease, identify their triggers, and reduce instances of relapse.

“Drug court saves lives. It’s better for the community to have people who know how to manage their disease rather than locking them up without teaching them anything,” said Judge Sanders.
“The courthouse is not a place of despair — it’s a place of hope.”