COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio’s Supreme Court has awarded a total of $2.89 million in grants to courts in 25 counties, with a focus on modernizing aging case management software and computer systems.
Ross County Court of Common Pleas received a grant of $93,938.45, while the Pickaway County Court of Common Pleas was awarded $150,000. The funds are intended to modernize the technology used at the courthouses.
Many Ohio courts that applied for the 2024 grants are dealing with obsolete technology that is no longer supported by the original vendors. The Clinton County Probate Court and Clinton County Juvenile Court were jointly awarded $70,340 to overhaul their case management systems. The probate court last upgraded its system in 2012, and the juvenile court has not had a significant update since 2010.
The grant-funded upgrades will also speed up workflow for staff and improve service to the public. They will enable the scanning and attaching of documents directly on the docket and introduce e-filing with the court.
The Supreme Court Technology Grant Fund is open to Ohio appeals, common pleas, municipal, and county courts. Since the grant program began in 2015, Ohio courts have received $42.4 million, which included about $6 million of additional funding distributed during the COVID-19 pandemic.