Akron Municipal Court highlights programs, outlines drug‑testing plan and warns grants are uncertain

At a City of Akron budget hearing, Akron Municipal Court leaders said the court has expanded specialized dockets and housing‑related services but faces financial uncertainty because several grants are delayed or paused.

The court’s administrative and presiding judge, David Hamilton, told council members the court operates a larger number of specialized programs than similar municipal courts while using fewer staff. Hamilton said the court received “over $900,000 in grant awards” to start a housing program aimed at addressing eviction causes and to cover technology projects. “We’re doing a lot with a little,” Hamilton said.

Magistrate Scott Newman and other court staff described the court’s housing work and eviction caseload. Newman said filings in earlier years reached roughly 3,500 but have been lower more recently. He told the committee he has 2023 and 2024 figures that show roughly 1,500 and 1,600 cases, respectively, for the subset of filings in which landlords were permitted to remove tenants. Newman emphasized those case counts are filings and not the number of people actually removed from homes.

Probation staff described a plan to begin on‑site drug testing at the municipal court within about 30 days. Chief of probation Jeff Sturmey said the court partnered with Oriana House, Inc., which operates a CLIA‑certified lab in Akron; probation staff will collect and store urine samples and Oriana House staff will transport samples to their lab several times per week, with results returning “within about 24 hours,” Sturmey said. The court also plans to offer AA and NA meetings at the courthouse auditorium so participants can attend without traveling elsewhere.

Court officials described a housing resource center and a mediator who negotiates eviction timetables and payment arrangements with landlords; those staff, several said, have helped residents avoid immediate displacement. Hamilton and other speakers also highlighted Compass (a reentry and support program focused on men ages roughly 18–40) and a separate women’s program, Peace of Mind, as low‑cost, community‑partnered efforts that help participants get licenses, jobs and sometimes record sealing.

Officials warned that several grant awards were on hold. Denise Karshner, the court’s grant writer and compliance officer, told council members that a $90,000 award from the Supreme Court of Ohio for a probation supervision kiosk was placed on hold days after notification because of “uncertainty with the federal levels.” Hamilton and others said additional federal competition awards — including Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance opportunities for veterans or adult drug courts — are in limbo; the court relies on some of those grants to fund housing‑program staff. Hamilton said, “If we don’t get the money then our housing court is gonna look a lot different,” reflecting that three housing positions are grant‑funded.

Why it matters: Court leaders told council members they are expanding services designed to reduce incarceration and to address housing instability, but several initiatives depend on external grant funding. The court is implementing operational changes — including an electronic case management project (Tyler) and new on‑site testing — while warning that grant delays could reduce service levels.

The court answered questions from council members about staffing, program outcomes and how drug‑testing will be administered. Sturmey said the court has protocols for observed and non‑observed collection and can switch to observed collection if adulteration is suspected; same‑gender staff will observe individuals when observation is required.