WILMINGTON — Five people presently are on track to graduate this spring from the You-Turn Recovery Docket, an 18-month specialized program within Clinton County Common Pleas Court that tries to help people addicted to drugs.

Clinton County Common Pleas Judge John W. “Tim” Rudduck opened the Jan. 20 session by saying he had just met with the participants’ treatment team and heard about successes and some disappointments.

One participant, who has taken part in a residential STAR Community Justice Center program, spoke about her recent experience going back there as a speaker — something she had asked to do.

“I had so much more planned to say,” she said, admitting that having people video-record her presentation made it more nerve-wracking.

There was a participant who spoke Jan. 20 about moving to avoid being around someone she has relapsed with before.

“I’m out of that dramatic house. It feels great. Really, it does,” she said.

Another You-Turn Recovery participant, however, counted among the disappointments. She was permitted to go out of state to Nebraska and ended up getting convicted there for domestic violence and spending 50-plus days in jail.

Rudduck said that due to the violation, there has to be an additional punishment associated with it and he ordered her to take part in a STAR relapse program at the facility in Franklin Furnace, Ohio. The hope is she will learn how to make better decisions under stressful or trying circumstances.

Another participant who fell in the disappointment category will be evaluated for possible admission to STAR. She also must have a private conversation with the judge and the supervision staff because the judge feels something is going on in her life and she doesn’t want to talk about it, perhaps especially in an open courtroom.

This participant did well for a short period of time, said Rudduck, but “what we’re doing isn’t working right now.” On Jan. 20, she claimed that though she has diluted her urine for drug-testing purposes before, she had not recently, though there is apparent evidence she had.

“I want you to understand something,” Rudduck said to her. “I don’t want you lying.”

The judge said he would talk with Dr. Michael Newman, the medical coordinator for the You-Turn Recovery Docket, whether the participant’s explanation of her urine color is possible. Newman was in the courtroom at the Jan. 20 session.

Reach Gary Huffenberger at 937-556-5768.