1) Establish Drug and Mental Health Treatment Courts - As previously discussed, I fully support the implementation of these programs to help individuals get the treatment and support they need to overcome their addictions and/or mental health issues. The end benefit is to rehabilitate individuals so they do not appear in the criminal system repetitively.

2) Implement a Family Law Arbitration Program - Last year, the Family Law Arbitration Act was passed to allow certain issues to be resolved through arbitration, rather than through one, or multiple, court hearings. This program is voluntary and would allow individuals with family law matters to resolve issues in a faster, confidential, and less costly way. By moving these cases to arbitration, more time is available on the court calendar to allow other matters to be heard and resolved more expeditiously.

3) Provide Resources for Non-Professional Guardians and Allow for On-Site Registration for the Guardianship Tracking System - Often times, family members step into the role serving as Guardian for an incapacitated individual. Obtaining a guardianship comes with a great deal of responsibility as well as oversight by the Court. Guardians are required to file periodic reports with the Court so that the Courts can ensure that there is no elder abuse or financial exploitation. In many counties where I practice, once the guardianship is granted by the Court, the individuals are able to go to the Clerk of the Orphan's Court and be put into the Guardianship Tracking System on-site. Additionally, they are provided with a copy, or a link to the Guardianship Handbook, which is provided free of charge from the Office of Elder Justice. By assisting in enrolling in the program, and providing a valuable resource on how to effectively serve as guardian, problems in reporting and unmet expectations are avoided.

4) Seek Grant Opportunities/Funding to Improve Technology in the Courtrooms - There are may ways in which new technology can be implemented in our Courtroom, and even better, there are grant opportunities to help fund such improvements. The audio system needs upgraded to allow those testifying in court to be heard clearly. Additionally, many courtrooms now feature monitors on the jury boxes and counsel tables to allow videos, photographs, documents, etc. to be published to the jury more clearly. Lastly, when it comes to filing of court documents, we can implement an electronic filing system to allow documents to be recorded remotely.