The Summit County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health (ADM) Board has proudly announced Summit County Court of Common Pleas General Division Judge Joy Malek Oldfield as the 2025 recipient of The Dr. Robert M. Smith Innovation Award.
According to ADM’s release and announcement, “Judge Oldfield has redefined what recovery-focused justice looks like in Summit County and beyond.”
Judge Oldfield is the Presiding Judge over the Ohio Supreme Court Certified Summit County Turning Point Program, Summit County’s only adult felony drug court program. The mission of this program is to provide individuals with effective court supervision and enhanced treatment services to change their behaviors and reduce their risk to the community. Turning Point’s focus is on people: building trust, promoting accountability, and seeing people for who they are while supporting their goals.
Oldfield’s long history of commitment to recovery work, and her cutting edge and comprehensive approach to handling these cases makes her an ideal candidate for this award. She has longstanding professional relationships with both SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) and All Rise (formerly known as The National Association of Drug Court Professionals), two of the leading organizations in the industry where she serves on expert panels and provides education and training for organizations dedicated to improving the justice system’s responses to substance use and mental health disorders. Judge Oldfield recently underwent training to serve as national faculty for All Rise.
“I’m truly honored to receive this award,” said Oldfield. “Addiction reaches across race, age, gender and socioeconomic status. I’m proud to dedicate my time on the bench to ensuring that when we offer anyone rehabilitative services, we do so in accordance with best practices so that we have successful outcomes. When someone leaves the court system with long term sobriety and stability, that’s a win for them and for our community.”
Oldfield is an adjunct Professor/Senior Lecturer at the University of Akron School of Law teaching both Pretrial Advocacy and Problem Solving Courts. She also serves as a Board of Trustees member for the Ohio Supreme Court Judicial College, and is actively involved in the Ohio Common Pleas Judges Association where she serves as Second Vice-President, Education Chair and Board of Trustees member. Judge Oldfield presents regularly at the Supreme Court of Ohio’s New Judge Orientation.
A graduate of John Carroll University (’93) and the University of Akron School of Law (’00), Judge Oldfield served on Akron Municipal Court for five years before her election to Summit County Common Pleas Court . In addition to serving as Administrative Judge in both Akron Municipal Court and Summit County Common Pleas Court, Judge Oldfield served as Presiding Judge for both Akron Municipal Recovery Court (2013-2016) and currently for Summit County Common Pleas Turning Point Program (2016-present).
Many organizations throughout the county and state have honored Judge Oldfield during her fourteen years of judicial service. For more information about Summit County Court of Common Pleas, General Division Judge Joy Malek Oldfield visit, https://www.summitcpcourt.net/judges/honorable-judge-joy-malek-oldfield/.
If you’d like to attend the Trailblazer Awards dinner or for more information about the Summit County ADM Board, visit admboard.org.