New program to reduce court backlogs

COLUMBUS — Governor Mike DeWine has announced the launch of a new program aimed at helping local courts throughout Ohio more efficiently process increasing numbers of court cases.

The Office of Criminal Justice Services, which is a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, is now accepting applications for the new Ohio Court Backlog Reduction Program. A total of $10 million in funding is available to help courts reduce the time-to-disposition of pending cases, remove barriers to the timely resolution of cases, and apply creative solutions to improve case flow.

“This new grant program is part of Ohio’s comprehensive approach toward supporting every aspect of our criminal justice system,” said Governor DeWine. “Court caseloads are increasing as local law enforcement works aggressively to hold criminals accountable, and we want to help our courts handle current backlogs and prevent future case accumulations.”

Eligible recipients for one- or two-year projects that can be back-dated to April 1 include:

• Municipal or county courts.
• Common pleas, domestic relations, general, juvenile, or probate courts.
• Appellate courts.

Projects that may be eligible for funding include but are not limited to pre-trial triage programs, virtual competency assessment teams, and technology programs to simplify bench warrant processing. Grants can also be used to recruit court staff, fill vacancies, or resume positions that had been eliminated due to the pandemic.

The Ohio Court Backlog Reduction Program is funded as part of the $250 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding that Governor DeWine and the Ohio General Assembly dedicated to first responders last year to help counter various pressing issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, including increases in violent crime and decreases in staffing levels in criminal justice fields.