“I’ve always been committed to children and families, and the hardest part is leaving the children and the families that I’ve worked for,” Capizzi said.
Capizzi was elected to the bench after serving as a Dayton City Commissioner for more than 10 years. He said his goals as an elected official have always been to bring honest common sense to governing and focusing on the needs of the citizens. But he said as judge, he wanted to bring special attention to the needs of children and families because he felt they were underrepresented by politicians who generally focus on their constituents who can vote.
During his time on the bench, Capizzi oversaw the growth of the Juvenile Treatment Court and the implementation of a Juvenile Mental Health Court and Family Treatment Court. He was also credited with starting a number of alternative programs to help Montgomery County youth and their families emerge from difficult situations.
He also implemented technology to advance the court throughout the last 18 years. Capizzi said the court has become one of the most recognized progressive juvenile courts in the country.
Fellow Montgomery County Juvenile Judge Helen Wallace said that Capizzi is a wonderful man who has helped her since she took the bench in 2019.
“He’s constantly looking outside the community to learn better ways to do things,” Wallace said. “He has ceaseless energy and he’s very caring. He’s put everything into this court for the last 18 years.”
In a statement announcing his retirement, Capizzi thanked his staff, family and fellow judges for their assistance during his career. He said during his last year on the bench, he will focus on protecting the rights and improving the experiences of people who come before the juvenile court, as well as making sure that the court is run in a fiscally responsible way.
“It is time to retire and pass the torch on to a new judge, who will work for justice and equality, with the goal of protecting and enhancing the lives of the children and families that Juvenile Court serves, as I have labored so hard to do for the past 18 years,” Capizzi wrote.
Capizzi said that while he does plan on taking time off in retirement, he also wants to continue his advocacy for children and will have more freedom to travel and express “how much we as a society need to do to help our children and families all over the country.”
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