State Judicial Council awards $39.5 million in Rescue Plan grants

Nov. 14—ATLANTA — The Judicial Council of Georgia Ad Hoc Committee on American Rescue Plan Act Funding has awarded grants totaling $39,476,327 to be distributed among 37 judicial circuits that applied for CY 2023 funding. The Committee accepted applications from Sept. 15-30 for the award period beginning Jan. These awards kick off the second year of the Judicial Council's ARPA grant program.

In 2022, grants totaling $44,147,105 were awarded to 42 of Georgia's 50 judicial circuits. Of the 37 CY 2023 awardees, 36 were granted ARPA funding in 2022. With this round of awards, 43 of the 50 judicial circuits will have received grants since the grant program began on Jan. 1 of this year.

The majority of circuits plan to continue their current backlog response plans, which includes funding for temporary personnel to respond to the case backlog, such as senior judges and judges to serve by designation, assistant district attorneys, security personnel, investigators and victim support staff, and court reporters. Funding is also being provided for rental costs for temporary space to hold court, supplies and materials, mandatory education and training for certain personnel, and staff to support grant administration.

Georgia's judiciary operated under a Statewide Judicial Emergency Order from March 2020 through June 2021. The order placed necessary limitations on court operations to protect the health and safety of those working in and coming to courthouses during this time but also resulted in a backlog of criminal and civil cases, particularly those requiring jury trials to resolve.

In October 2021, Gov. Brian Kemp announced the allocation to the judicial branch of $110 million of ARPA funds to address backlogs of court cases, particularly cases involving serious violent felonies. The Judicial Council is administering $96 million of that total for eligible courts, prosecutors, and related agencies. The remaining $14 million in ARPA funds was allocated to the Georgia Public Defender Council for grants to public defenders.

The Committee, chaired by Supreme Court of Georgia Chief Justice Michael P. Boggs, is overseeing the application process for the grants, and the Judicial Council's Administrative Office of the Courts is facilitating the grant application, award, compliance and reporting processes. The funds are awarded on a calendar year basis, and all funds allocated to the judicial branch must be spent by Dec. 31, 2024.

"As anticipated, circuits continue to experience challenges in ramping up their local court backlog plans due to start-up and hiring challenges," Boggs said. "However, we are hopeful that those challenges will subside, and we'll see circuit plans fully implemented and an increasing number of cases moved. I am appreciative for the progress that has been made around the state thus far and thank the circuits for their efforts."

Funding decisions are based on demonstrated need as long as funding remains available. The Committee will next accept applications from April 1-15 for the award period beginning June 1, 2023. More information on grant requirements, committee policies, frequently asked questions, application timelines, and contact information is available at https://jcaoc.georgiacourts.gov/arpa/.

In southwest Georgia, the Tifton Judicial Circuit asked for and received $163,603 in funding.