Judge Jennifer O’Donnell Appointed To MHDD Docket
Judge Jennifer O’Donnell is the newest Judge to preside over the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court’s Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities (MHDD) Court. Judge O’Donnell was appointed by Administrative and Presiding Judge Brendan J. Sheehan, and she succeeds Judge Deena Calabrese who was elected to the 8th District Court of Appeals in the November 2024 election.
Judge O’Donnell joined the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Bench in 2022. She is a graduate of Vermillion High School and Denison University, and joined the bar in 2008 after attending the Case Western Reserve School of Law.
“The MHDD Court does important work connecting those in the criminal justice system to crucial behavioral health services. I look forward to working with my dedicated colleagues on the specialty court,” says Judge O’Donnell. “People enter the justice system for a number of reasons, and mental health issues can often entangle them further. Helping individuals referred to the MHDD Court will be a privilege.”
The MHDD Court was established in 2003 as a response to the increasing number of defendants with serious mental illnesses entering the criminal justice system. The MHDD Court is funded by the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, and supported by federal and local resources through the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board and the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities (CCBDD). Judge O’Donnell will oversee a specific docket within the MHDD Court to address defendants with severe mental illness and substance use disorders utilizing the drug court treatment model.
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court and the MHDD judges are committed to managing defendants by effectively utilizing scarce resources that can improve long-term success in treatment and reduce recidivism. Further, the Court is committed to identifying additional resources that will continue to enhance the program.
The MHDD Court includes Chairperson Judge Shannon Gallagher, Judge Emily Hagan, Judge Timothy McCormick, and Judge Michael Shaughnessy.