Common Pleas Judges Visit AU Campus

Judges Vercillo and Forsthoefel, of the Common Pleas Court, took time to come speak to Ashland University Students interested in the legal field. The Judges discussed the types of cases they see, the different divisions of the common pleas court, the differences between trial and appellate court systems and the importance of being informed when electing judges.

Judge Vercillo discussed his role as the Juvenile and Probate Court Judge, including the different types of cases that occur in each court. Probate Court cases typically involve estates, guardianships, trust cases, name changes, marriage licenses, and things of that nature. Juvenile Court involves cases with anyone under the age of 18. These cases can involve anything from neglect and abuse cases, to juvenile offender and criminal cases.

Judge Forsthoefel, on the other hand, oversees the General Division and Domestic relations dockets. The General Division involves civil cases (malpractice, property disputes, real estate titles, workers compensation, etc.) as well as well as the felony cases. The Domestic Relations Docket involves all disputes between married families (divorce, child support, custody, civil protection orders, etc.).

Both Judges Vercillo and Forsthoefel agreed that being a judge is a very demanding job, but it is ultimately very rewarding. Special thanks to both Judges for taking the time to come speak.

Recently Published Research by Dr. Allyson Drinkard

Dr. Allyson Drinkard, assistant professor of Criminal Justice/Sociology, has published an article in the Journal of Criminal Justice Education. 

This research explores the benefits of service-learning among a group of Midwestern college students.  Students enrolled in a section of a Juvenile Delinquency course served as volunteers at a juvenile detention facility and were studied using a pre-test/post-test survey design. This pilot project also included a comparison group of students in a section of the course which did not involve service-learning. 

The study compared service-learning to non-service-learning students in terms of attitudes regarding juvenile delinquency, punishment, and attributions of criminal behavior. We also examined any possible effects of service-learning on student academic skills, career goals and comfort level with delinquents. Overall, we found that the service-learning project was a valuable educational tool having a positive impact on a number of student outcomes. We discuss the implications of these findings for service-learning research and practice.

Ashland University's Marc Hedrick quoted in WalletHub Article

Criminal Justice Professional Instructor and Field Experience Coordinator Marc Hedrick was quoted in a WalletHub article about the most sinful states in America.

The article by Hedrick addresses a number of questions, including "What makes some states more sinful than others?"; "Should sport betting be legalized across the U.S. by the federal government?"; 'What are the most efficient measures that federal and state authorities can utilize to curb the obesity epidemic and is something like the 'soda tax' a valid approach?"; and "How can federal authorities combat human trafficking and is legalizing prostitution a good idea?"

You can see the article at -

https://wallethub.com/edu/most-sinful-states/46852/#marc-hedrick