Westmoreland Judge Feliciani recognized for drug court advocacy

In the nine years since its inception, Westmoreland County’s Drug Court has helped dozens of participants struggling with addiction to turn their lives around.

Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani has been at the center of that program since its beginning in 2015 and recently received the Anthony “Tony” Marcocci Award of Excellence for his efforts.

Drug court has had nearly 300 participants in the program in which judges, court personnel and rehabilitation specialists provide intense supervision to assist in addiction treatment and serve as an alternative to jail. Five participants graduated in June.

Feliciani said the award given to him during this summer’s graduation ceremony, the 18th since the program started, is one that he didn’t expect.

“I thought I was coming over for my three graduates. I had no idea I was going to receive the Tony Marcocci award. No one in this county has been as committed (as Marcocci) to what we are doing here,” Feliciani said.

Marcocci, a longtime county detective who specialized in drug cases and later became a key member of the drug court program, is the award’s namesake. The first recipient was honored in 2021.

Feliciani is the second person to be bestowed the Marcocci award.

“Getting drug court in Westmoreland County was no easy task. While working in family court, Judge Feliciani saw how drugs played in a role in courts and wanted to do something about it. He, along with the county, took steps that were needed to have what we have here today,” Marcocci said as part of a surprise announcement.

Feliciani, 65, of Hempfield, was elected in 2003 and spent nearly a decade presiding over family court. In that role, he is credited with creating the county’s Court Appointed Special Advocates program. It links adult volunteers with juveniles involved in the family court system. He also helped to launch a drug court program for children and adults embroiled in the court system.

He brought the drug court model with him when he transferred to the criminal court system.

“Honestly, this is the most important thing I have ever done,” Feliciani said of drug court. “It’s been an honor to be part of the process and it’s been really successful.”

The county’s 10 other judges elected him as president judge in late 2022, an administrative role in which he oversees the operation of the county court system. He continues to handle a full docket of criminal cases.

Drug court operates with grants totalling more than $630,000 to monitor about 60 participants. It’s a two-year program in which participants undergo counseling, receive support and are subject to drug screenings.

Drug court administrator Bill Shifko said Feliciani has been the cornerstone of the program.

“He been sensational at building relationships and just getting positive support and interaction from the judges, that’s what drives people to success,” Shifko said. “It’s a lot of work. A lot of times I think he liked having drug court after a stressful morning.”

This spring, citing enhanced administrative duties as president judge, Feliciani relinquished his drug court role to Judge Scott Mears.

“He’ll be missed but he’s still active. I don’t think he’s completely done with it yet,” Shifko said.