JUDICIAL ADVISORY GROUP

As a member of the judiciary, you could use someone to talk to who understands the emotions that occur on and off the bench.

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We hear you!

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The Judicial Advisory Group (JAG) is a peer-based confidential assistance group that helps judges and magistrates with personal and professional issues.

 

JAG helps OLAP:

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• Screen referrals regarding judges/magistrates to be sure they represent genuine concerns

• Respond to judges/magistrates who need help in ways that address the demands of their responsibilities and positions.

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OLAP and JAG help the judiciary in several areas:

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• Issues of judicial temperament and diligence that on their face do not rise to disciplinary violations

• Burnout, stress, and other debilitating conditions

• Depression or other mental health issues

• Substance use disorders

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OLAP and JAG provide help. They assist the judiciary with:

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• Assessment and diagnosis by qualified professionals

• Participation in an OLAP recovery contract

• Referrals to appropriate treatment

• Referrals to appropriate professional help, counseling or training

• Advice and mentoring from senior colleagues

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JAG is not a substitute for discipline

OLAP/JAG helps judges and magistrates with issues that may have caused or could cause disciplinary issues. Any assistance provided is entirely independent of possible disciplinary proceedings.

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• A referral to OLAP/JAG does not discharge the duty of a judge, magistrate or an attorney to report a disciplinary violation.

• If a referrer describes actions that may amount to misconduct, OLAP/JAG may remind the referrer of the duty to report and provide contact information for attorneys who can provide legal advice in the area.

• If OLAP/JAG has information concerning a judge or magistrate who is being helped that indicates the person may have engaged in misconduct, OLAP/JAG will encourage the judge/magistrate to contact an attorney and take other steps to resolve that issue on his or her own initiative.

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Concerned about a judge or magistrate?

If a judge or magistrate seems to need help, OLAP/ JAG can assess whether he or she truly does, and what kind of help might be appropriate.

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If you are a fellow judge, magistrate, an attorney, a family member or someone else who works with a judge or magistrate, you can contact either OLAP or a JAG member directly. If you contact us, 

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• We will ask you the reasons for your concern and about other information regarding the judge or magistrate

• We will ask you about others who might provide additional information or corroborate your observations, such as a colleague, a spouse or a friend

• OLAP’s professional staff will assess the information to make a provisional determination about what may be happening

• ​OLAP and JAG together will decide what help might be appropriate and how to offer it in the best way.

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The Judicial Advisory Group ensures that a referral does not reflect a desire to discredit a judge or magistrate based on judicial decisions or other official acts.

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JAG is confidential

• OLAP is covered by immunity and confidentiality provisions in the Ohio Revised Code as well as Rules of Judicial Conduct (2.14).

• If OLAP/JAG members learn about possible misconduct in their OLAP/JAG capacities, they are exempt from the duty to report it.

• Anything that happens through OLAP/JAG will remain in strict confidence and will not be accessible to either the judicial disciplinary process or public records requests.

• No information about interactions between OLAP/JAG and a judge will be released to anyone in any form unless the person in question signs a waiver.

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We only help judges and magistrates who want help

OLAP and JAG have no enforcement authority and no reporting requirements.

 

We help only judges and magistrates who want help. If they decline help, that is the end of the matter.

 

Ohio’s six judicial associations nominate members to the Judicial Advisory Group. The Ohio Judicial Conference appoints members and provides administrative support for the group.

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JAG members

JAG members represent all jurisdictions and areas of Ohio. Contact any member with a concern:

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• Judge Jack R. Puffenberger, Chair, Lucas Co. Probate 

• Judge Debra L. Boros, Retired, Vice Chair, Lorain Co. Domestic Relations

• Judge David B. Bender, Fayette Co. Probate/Juvenile 

• Judge David Bennett, Guernsey Co. Probate/Juvenile

• Judge Beth Cappelli, Fairborn Municipal

• Judge Patricia A. Delaney, Fifth District Court of Appeals

• Judge Kevin Dunn, Medina Co. Probate/Juvenile

• Judge Randall Fuller, Delaware Co. Domestic Relations

• Judge Paula Giulitto, Portage Co. Domestic Relations

• Judge Barbara P. Gorman, Retired, Montgomery Co. Common Pleas

• Judge Howard H. Harcha, III, Scioto Co. Common Pleas 

• Judge Kimberly Kellog-Martin, Logan Co. Family

• Judge William A. Klatt, Tenth District Court of Appeals

• Judge Michelle Garcia Miller, Jefferson Co. Common Pleas

• Judge Denise Moody, Clark Co. Municipal

• Judge Beth A. Myers, First District Court of Appeals

• Judge Cynthia Westcott Rice, Eleventh District Court of Appeals

• Magistrate C. William Rickrich, Licking County Common Pleas

• Judge Robert Rusu, Mahoning Co. Common Pleas

• Judge Julie R. Selmon, Monroe Co. Common Pleas

• Judge Matt C. Staley, Allen Co. Domestic Relations

• Judge Jason Yoss, Monroe Co. Court

 

Talk to us

(800) 348-4343

 

All inquiries are confidential.