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Problem-Solving Courts Committee

Purpose | Principles | Documents | Members | Staff Contacts

Purpose

To encourage the broad integration of the problem-solving philosophy into the administration of justice to improve court processes and outcomes while preserving the rule of law.

To encourage judges to take a proactive role, using a non-adversarial, coordinated strategy to problem-solving while creating an environment where participants are encouraged to take responsibility for change.


Statement of Principles

  • The committee’s mission is dedicated to assisting courts in developing new techniques to improve outcomes. Our purpose is to provide a support system for all problem-solving courts, both criminal and civil, in which the following principles are fulfilled:
  • To encourage the broad integration of problem-solving philosophies and new initiatives into the administration of justice in Indiana to improve court processes and outcomes while preserving the rule of law.
  • To identify ways to incorporate problem-solving theories into mainstream courts.
  • To encourage judges to take a proactive role, on and off the bench, using a team-based non-adversarial approach to address the underlying problems of defendants, encouraging them to make positive changes in their lives while holding them accountable for their decisions.
  • To utilize the authority of the bench to positively affect a participant’s conduct.
  • To assist participants in developing skills that will allow them to live within community standards and be personally successful.
  • To identify ways the participant can develop further responsibility and competency through education, counseling, employment, and other programs available in the community.
  • To promote and encourage problem-solving techniques to gain favorable outcomes within the court system.
  • To promote within each court the support system to collect and evaluate data to show successes.
  • To develop a catalog of existing and potential problem-solving initiatives.

Documents

Minutes

2023
2022
2021

Members

Mr. Brad Barnes
Bartholomew County
Columbus

Hon. Natalie Bokota
Lake Superior Court
Crown Point

Hon. Chris Buckley, Chair
Porter Superior Court
Valparaiso

Mag. John Christ
Marion Superior Court
Indianapolis

Hon. Kit C. Dean Crane
Henry Circuit Court #2
New Castle

Hon. Douglas Cummins
Johnson Superior Court
Franklin

Hon. D.J. Davis
Hancock Superior Court
Greenfield

Mag. Christopher Doran
Jennings Circuit & Superior Court
Vernon

Hon. N. Lisa Glickfield
Clark Circuit Court
Jeffersonville

Hon. Christopher Goff, Liaison
Indiana Supreme Court
Indianapolis

Mag. Sherry Hartzler
Allen Superior Court
Fort Wayne

Hon. Crystal Kocher
Pulaski Superior Court
Winamac

Hon. Peter Nugent
Johnson Superior Court
Franklin

Ms. Tammy O'Neill
Porter County 
Valparaiso

Hon. Dan Petrie
Montgomery Superior Court
Crawfordsville

Hon. Angela Sims
Madison Circuit Court #1
Anderson

Hon. Adam Squiller
DeKalb Superior Court
Auburn

Hon. Jeffrey Thorne
LaPorte Superior Court
LaPorte

Ms. Jennifer York
Montgomery County
Crawfordsville


Staff Contact

Jamie BergacsDirector of Program Certification
Indiana Office of Court Services
317-232-1313
jamie.bergacs@courts.in.gov

Chris BiehnDeputy Director
Indiana Office of Court Services
317-232-1313
chris.biehn@courts.in.gov

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