$279K came from Ohio Supreme Court to upgrade equipment, software

The Lawrence County probate/juvenile court recently got two grants from the Ohio Supreme Court to upgrade its technology.

The two technology grants, which total $279,478.31, will go towards upgrading the court’s case management software and recording equipment.

Judge Patricia Sanders said that this will lead to increasing the efficiency and security of the court operations and help them create an online presence for the public.

The new case management software will increase public access to the court by creating a web presence for Probate-Juvenile Court, which is the only court in the county where its clerk’s office does not have an online footprint. The future web site will allow the public to access certain public records, local rules, local forms, as well as general information about the court. Once the new system is in place, the court will be able to start accepting e-filings for specific case types.

“These upgrades would not have been possible without the Supreme Court’s funding. The costs for the upgrades were well above what the court could financially afford on its own, and these grants do not have to be repaid,” Sanders said, adding she is excited about the increased technological capabilities the grants will provide the court. “The ability of the public to access information about the court online will allow for greater transparency, and the ability of the Court to share important information about general operations and expectations for parties and attorneys will improve the efficiency of daily operations.”

“I am beyond grateful for these grants,” she added. “I am blessed to have staff who worked diligently gathering the information needed for the applications, and I am thankful for the hard work of our grant writer, attorney J.T. Holt. I do not operate alone. Only with the teamwork of my entire staff and others has this opportunity been possible.”

The upgrades to the recording equipment will begin immediately. The case management system software, training and web site will be completed within the next year.