8/2/17 – 5:37 A.M.

The new Common Pleas Court Judge in Putnam County wants a drug court. The Lima News reports Keith Schierloh outlined the process Tuesday. Schierloh says a drug court gives the county an option to sentence certain drug offenders in different ways. This can include treatment and counseling. If someone sentenced through the drug court doesn’t follow the judge’s orders they can still go to jail.

Schierloh says Putnam County can’t establish a drug court until he’s been on the bench for a year. That won’t happen until next May. He also said there’s a certification process. With that in mind, January of 2019 is likely the earliest the county could launch a drug court effort.

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