Licking County Municipal Courtroom
Licking County Municipal Court

Licking County Municipal Court Adult Probation Department

History of the Adult Probation Department:

Back on February 15, 1969 Judge Robert J. Moore signed a Certificate of Appointment regarding the appointment of Nicki David Cook as the first probation officer in the Newark Municipal Court, Newark, Licking County, Ohio.

Several years after the first probation officer was appointed Presiding Judge John K. Taylor prepared and signed a Journal Entry (Date entry was filed: June 10, 1976) regarding court facilities. Part of that entry stated, “This court is in the process of hiring two probation officers and one secretary for said probation office.” That entry spoke of Judge Taylor’s vision to create the first probation department for the Licking County Municipal Court. The date of June 10, 1976 was when the probation department was born.   

In 1996 the Licking County Municipal Court Adult Probation Department was still structured in the same way as described in Judge Taylor’s Journal Entry back in 1976. The court employed two probation officers. One officer worked for Judge Michael Higgins and the other officer worked for Judge Thomas Marcelain. Each judge would assign probation cases to his probation officer. There was one secretarial staff person who served as a support person to each probation officer. The two probation officers and the secretary made up the probation department at that time.  

            Judge Higgins and Judge Marcelain recognized that this type of a probation operation was not the most effective way of supervising defendants, so with the endorsement of the City of Newark and Licking County they decided to restructure the probation department. No longer would one officer exclusively service cases assigned by Judge Higgins and the other exclusively service cases assigned by Judge Marcelain. Both judges believed that a director of probation was necessary to solidify the existing probation department. The major benefits of restructuring were:

  • Probation Officers would supervise cases assigned by either judge. This would allow for more effective operations.
  • The appointment of a director would allow for more efficient administration.

 

Considering all factors Judge Higgins and Judge Marcelain decided to move forward with the restructuring of the Licking County Municipal Court Adult Probation Department. On April 15, 1996 Emmett R. Barrett was sworn in as the first director of the probation department. Mr. Barrett served as director from April 15, 1996 to September 26, 2000. On October 2, 2000 Scott M. Fulton was sworn in as the second director of the probation department. Mr. Fulton served as Director from October 2, 2000 to July 30, 2014. On August 18, 2014 Kevin K. Saad was sworn in as the third director of the probation department. Mr. Saad still serves the court in that capacity.

Mission Statement:

The Licking County Municipal Court Adult Probation Department is dedicated to enhancing community safety and transforming the lives of offenders by identifying risk, practicing procedural justice, and utilizing evidence based practices.

Values Statement:

We believe in:

         1.      Treating all people with dignity and respect.
         2.      Listening to citizens during encounters.
         3.      Being fair when making decisions.
         4.      Conveying trustworthy motives.
         5.      Our staff being the greatest resource in carrying out our mission.
         6.      Being agents of change when interacting with our offenders.
         7.      Striving towards a 4:1 (incentives/sanctions) ratio when interacting with our offenders.
             8.      Utilization of evidence based practices/programs to change offender behavior.

Goals:

1.   To be financially responsibly with city, county, and grant funds.
2.   To collaborate with local community agencies for the purpose of developing and/or implementing evidence based programs    for offenders.
3.   To support/assist victims of crime specifically those victimized by an offender sentenced by a Licking County Municipal Court Judge.
4.   To support/assist the court with investigations, recommendations, record checks, security, and anything else deemed appropriate by the Court.
5.   To enforce all conditions of probation/community control, ILC, or diversion ordered by the Court.
6.   To support/assist offenders in their quest to change their behavior by identifying risk and referring to the appropriate evidence based program.
Programs:

  1. Drug/Alcohol Monitoring
  2. GPS Monitoring
  3. Transportation
  4. Naloxone Administration
  5. Student Internship
  6. Partially fund batterer’s intervention program at the Woodlands
  7. Goodwill vouchers program
  8. Community service program
  9. Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT) Theft program
  10. Job shadowing program
  11. Tangible incentives/rewards program

·        Descriptions of all programs can be found in the most recent Licking County Municipal Court Adult Probation Department Annual Report. This report can be found under the probation tab on this website.

Staff:

Kevin Saad, Director: 740-670-7837, ksaad@lcmunicipalcourt.com

Vanessa Stalnaker, Senior Probation Officer: 740-670-7838, vstalnaker@lcmunicipalcourt.com

Jordan Barnard, Probation Officer Specialist: 740-670-7821, jbarnard@lcmunicipalcourt.com

Hans Huy Probation Officer: 740-670-7839, hhuy@lcmunicipalcourt.com

Danielle Butcher, Probation Officer: 740-670-7835,  dbutcher@lcmunicipalcourt.com

Ashley Weaver, Probation Officer: 740-670-7828, aweaver@lcmunicipalcourt.com

Olivia Dutro, Probation Officer: 740-670-7830, odutro@lcmunicipalcourt.com

Faith Pecek Probation Officer: 740-670-7829 fpecek@lcmunicipalcourt.com

Richard Bennett, Probation Officer: 740-670-7824 rbennett@lcmunicipalcourt.com

Haley Akers, Secretary II: 740-670-7831, hakers@lcmunicipalcourt.com

Kelly Clark, Secretary I: 740-670-7825, kclark@lcmunicipalcourt.com


Employee Accomplishments - Contributions - Strengths 2023


Downloadable Forms:

BMV AMNESTY 2020

DIVERSION APPLICATION PACKET

DRIVING PRIVILEGES APPLICATION

FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ACT SUSPENSION APPLICATION

PRE-SENTENCE INVESTIGATION PACKET

TRAVEL REQUEST FORM

TWELVE POINT SUSPENSION PETITION