Tech grants from the Ohio Supreme Court have helped courts complete 361 projects in 81 of Ohio’s 88 counties.

Tech grants from the Ohio Supreme Court have helped courts complete 361 projects in 81 of Ohio’s 88 counties.

The Ohio Supreme Court is offering a new round of funding to courts for technology projects designed to remove barriers to the efficient and effective administration of justice.

In the past four years, technology grants totaling more than $11 million have been distributed to courts across Ohio. The funds have aided in the completion of 361 projects in 81 of Ohio’s 88 counties. Projects have included case management upgrades, public online access to records, systems to file and pay fees, hardware upgrades, and other projects where technology deficiencies hinder the access and administration of justice.

The application period opened today, and the deadline to apply is the close of business on Nov. 16, 2018. Any court of appeals, common pleas court (including its internal divisions), municipal court, or county court is eligible to submit an application. Mayor’s courts are not eligible to participate in the program. Awards are expected to be announced in March 2019.

Projects with Priority
The following types of projects will be given priority consideration, in order:

1. Upgrade of a court’s existing case management system (CMS) to improve case flow or public access.
2. Upgrade, replacement, or purchase of other technology systems that improve case flow or the fundamental duties of the court, or that improve public access.
3. Upgrade, replacement, or improvement to computer hardware or equipment that supports a CMS or other systems that affect case flow or the fundamental duties of the court, or improve public access.
4. All other computer hardware, software, or equipment that is non-security related.

In addition, part of the available funds will be set aside to pay for courtroom or related building security equipment upgrades or new installations.

Additional Information
Details about the grants, including instructions how to apply, are available on the Ohio Supreme Court’s website.

For more information, contact Linda Flickinger, grant administrator, at techgrant@sc.ohio.gov.