A new task force will study how Ohio courts have used technology and innovation during the coronavirus pandemic.

A new task force will study how Ohio courts have used technology and innovation during the coronavirus pandemic.

Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor has announced a task force to study how courts have used technology during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Task Force will identify best practices to be retained by courts in the post-pandemic era and ways their experiences will allow for the continuing use of technology  to improve access to justice.

“The reliance of courts, including the Supreme Court, on remote technology has been critical to the administration of justice during this pandemic,” Chief Justice O’Connor said.

“Now we will take our knowledge a step further by finding out how technology can help local courts become even more responsive to the public for the remainder of the pandemic and afterward.”

Courts in 87 of Ohio’s 88 counties are using $6 million in equipment and software purchased since March to keep their operations open during the pandemic. Chief Justice O’Connor made the funds available from the Court’s budget on an emergency basis.

The panel will be known as the Improving Court Operations Using Remote Technology (iCourt) Task Force.

The iCourt Task Force will be designed to:

• Examine how Ohio courts have used technology during the pandemic, including their appearances and trials
• Survey judges and attorneys
• Identify technological best practices
• Discuss barriers to the effective use of technology, such as limited internet access, wireless difficulties, costs, and equipment
• List practices to safeguard procedural due process and access to justice when technology is used
• Identify rules that may need to be updated and modernized
• Address how to conduct remote criminal jury trials.

The task force will consist of no more than 25 voting members appointed by Chief Justice O’Connor. Justice Pat DeWine will be the Court’s liaison to the task force.

Members will include judges, magistrates, court administrators, information technology professionals, attorneys, and clerks of court.

The task force will issue findings and recommendations to the Supreme Court by June 2021.