Contact:  Ed Ferenc, Public Information Officer                                   
Cleveland Municipal Court
216 664 6787 / 216 789 2597
ference@cmcoh.org     www.cmcoh.org

(Cleveland) – The 76th Graduation Ceremony of the Judge Larry A. Jones Drug Court, under the direction of Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Lauren C. Moore will take place at 4:00 p.m., Monday, at the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board (ADAMHS) located at 2012 West 25th Street in Cleveland, Ohio. 

With ten graduates, the total number of people who have successfully completed the program since it began in 1998 will be 1,926.  The keynote speaker for the ceremony will be Sadigoh Galloway, President and CEO of Your Recovery Counseling, an organization designed to help people recover from emotional challenges and substance use, in efforts to modify behaviors, find happiness, and enjoy the life their living.

“I’m all about creating programs that are constantly evolving and improving with the most up-to-date treatment options available and as keynote speaker I just want to support the graduates of the Judge Larry Jones Drug Court and their recovery milestone,” she said. 

Participants in the Judge Larry A. Jones Drug Court generally spend 12 to 20 months in the program. Longer cases may occur due to the fact that opiate addicts generally need more treatment time.  This year, four of the graduates entered the program with felonies, while the others were charged with lesser offenses. 

On October 26, 2022, the Greater Cleveland Drug Court was renamed the Judge Larry A. Jones Drug Court in honor of its founder and former Cleveland Municipal Court judge. Specialized dockets like the Judge Larry A. Jones Drug Court are dedicated to handling offenses related to substance abuse, and use a combination of techniques for holding the offenders accountable while also addressing the underlying causes of their behavior. 

There are more than 150 specialized dockets in Ohio. In 2014, this particular docket was certified by the Supreme Court of Ohio. The Drug Court Program began in the Cleveland Municipal Court in 1998 and has since expanded to other parts of Cuyahoga County.