Koffel Brininger Nesbitt is proud to announce the addition of retired Judge Scott VanDerKarr to our team.
Retired Columbus Drug Court Judge Scott VanDerKarr has just announced that he will be resigning from his role as Franklin County Municipal Court judge. He will be joining Koffel Brininger Nesbitt to continue his mission to reduce drug offenses. With Mr. VanDerKarr’s help, we hope to break the cycle of drug offense incarcerations.
Mr. VanDerKarr, 58, has long been an advocate of giving drug offense defendants second chances. While on the bench, he created dockets that help drug addicts, with the list growing to 200 individuals. He will step down from his current position to focus on creating more Ohio drug courts and offering more addiction services to families dealing with drug issues.
When asked about his decision, Mr. VanDerKarr said,
I want to go out and fight the epidemic and try and make a bigger impact. We’re losing close to 3,000 people a year (to drug overdoses).
At Koffel Brininger Nesbitt, we respect and commend Mr. VanDerKarr’s hard work and look forward to helping him continue his pursuit. We believe that citizens who suffer drug addiction should be helped before arrest. Mr. VanDerKarr will preside over our new practice group titled Preventative Law. We aim to help individuals between the ages of 14-30 and their families. Mr. VanDerKarr will serve as a treatment coordinator, supporter, and disciplinarian (if the need arises).
Brad Koffel is excited about working with someone as experienced as Mr. VanDerKarr. He states,
“I’ve watched VanDerKarr build an evidence-based drug court program that has proven it can break the cycle of drug addiction. Why are we waiting for young adults to get arrested for a felony as a pre-condition to this type of ‘wrap around’ intervention and service? After losing my nephew and an intern to opiate overdoses, it was time to do something radically different. We are going to take the drug court program and bring similar affordable resources to the kitchen tables of families battling a loved one’s addiction before they get arrested.”
This is an exciting time for Ohio’s drug courts. Our attorneys at Koffel Brininger Nesbitt look forward to working with Mr. VanDerKarr to break the cycle of drug related offenses, especially in young adults. If you or your child is suffering from drug addiction, contact our Columbus drug crimes attorneys today before it is too late.