Judicial Council Announces Mid-Year American Rescue Plan Act Awards to 24 Judicial Circuits
Judicial Council Announces Mid-Year American Rescue Plan Act Awards to 24 Judicial Circuits
Atlanta – In the second and final award cycle of American Rescue Act Plan (ARPA) funding for the 2023 calendar year, the Judicial Council of Georgia Ad Hoc Committee on ARPA Funding (“Committee”) has awarded grants totaling $15,371,004 to be distributed among 24 judicial circuits. Of these circuits, two are first-time applicants and 22 applied for additional funds to amend an existing award. The Committee accepted applications from April 1, 2023, through April 15, 2023, for the award period beginning June 1, 2023, and ending on December 31, 2023.
The Committee has previously awarded more than $39 million to 37 judicial circuits for calendar year 2023 funding. With this round of awards, 45 of Georgia’s 50 judicial circuits will have received grants since the program began on January 1, 2022. In calendar year 2022, grants totaling $44,147,105 were awarded to 42 of the 50 judicial circuits.
Twenty-one circuits requested to add audio-visual equipment modernization in existing courtrooms to their current backlog response plans, which otherwise include funding for temporary personnel to respond to the case backlog, such as senior judges, judges to serve by designation, court clerks, prosecutors, security personnel, investigators, victim support staff, and court reporters; rental costs for temporary space to hold court; supplies and materials; mandatory education and training for certain personnel; and staff to support grant administration. Approved as a new eligible expenditure by the Committee beginning in this award cycle, over $12 million was requested and awarded for audio-visual equipment modernization in compliance with the Committee’s Audio-Visual Equipment Modernization Policy. Approved expenses in this category include evidence presentation tools, assisted listening systems, video conferencing and remote appearance systems, improved court reporting interfaces, and general audio and video improvements aimed at assisting the circuits in reducing their backlog of serious violent felony cases.
“The delays in start-up we saw during the first year of the program seem to have subsided although hiring challenges continue to exist in various circuits across the state. Despite the challenges, I’m very proud of the work our judges and court personnel are making throughout the state in successfully implementing their grant-funded case backlog plans,” said Supreme Court of Georgia Chief Justice Michael P. Boggs, Chair of the Judicial Council and the ARPA Committee. “We look forward to the support and efficiencies the audio-visual equipment modernization will provide to move cases faster and without technical delays and am pleased to see the thoughtful and planned responses to this opportunity.”
A complete list of CY 2023 grantees and award amounts is attached. Funding decisions are based on demonstrated need as long as funding remains available. The Committee is scheduled to accept applications for CY 2024 funding in September 2023. More information on grant requirements, Committee policies, frequently asked questions, application timelines, and contact information is available at https://jcaoc.georgiacourts.gov/arpa/.
Background on Judicial ARPA Funding
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 P. 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 December 31, 2024.
Judicial Council of Georgia
Ad Hoc Committee on American Rescue Plan Act Funding – CY 2023 Awards
May 23, 2023
| Circuit | CY 2023 Cycle 1 Award Amounts | CY 2023 Cycle 2 Grant Requests | CY 2023 Cycle 2 Award Amounts | CY 2023 Cumulative Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget as approved by Committee | $39,476,327 | $15,371,004 | $15,371,004 | $54,847,331 |
| Alapaha | ||||
| Alcovy | $266,384 | $805,000 | $805,000 | $1,071,384 |
| Appalachian | $1,710,892 | $404,403 | $404,403 | $2,115,295 |
| Atlanta | ||||
| Atlantic | $1,515,207 | $925,527 | $925,527 | $2,440,734 |
| Augusta | $2,000,000 | $500,000 | $500,000 | $2,500,000 |
| Bell-Forsyth | ||||
| Blue Ridge | $97,290 | $1,315,931 | $1,315,931 | $1,413,221 |
| Brunswick | $993,314 | $1,140,350 | $1,140,350 | $2,133,664 |
| Chattahoochee | $1,977,991 | $99,336 | $99,336 | $2,077,327 |
| Cherokee | $1,087,538 | $1,087,538 | ||
| Clayton – Cycle 2 application withdrawn | ||||
| Cobb | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | ||
| Columbia | $1,011,758 | $353,000 | $353,000 | $1,364,758 |
| Conasauga | $239,582 | $150,000 | $150,000 | $389,582 |
| Cordele | ||||
| Coweta | $1,999,801 | $500,000 | $500,000 | $2,499,801 |
| Dougherty | ||||
| Douglas | $894,830 | $894,830 | ||
| Dublin | $607,260 | $607,260 | ||
| Eastern | ||||
| Enotah | $1,999,662 | $1,999,662 | ||
| Flint | $1,370,631 | $1,370,631 | $1,370,631 | |
| Griffin | $1,135,685 | $1,035,540 | $1,035,540 | $2,171,225 |
| Gwinnett | $1,999,792 | $499,998 | $499,998 | $2,499,790 |
| Houston | ||||
| Lookout Mountain | $625,661 | $625,661 | ||
| Macon – Cycle 2 application pending | $1,246,466 | $1,246,466 | ||
| Middle | ||||
| Mountain | $364,080 | $880,987 | $880,987 | $1,245,067 |
| Northeastern | $1,988,000 | $512,000 | $512,000 | $2,500,000 |
| Northern | $669,069 | $669,069 | ||
| Ocmulgee | $242,595 | $448,126 | $448,126 | $690,721 |
| Oconee | $982,839 | $982,839 | ||
| Ogeechee | $1,418,082 | $611,186 | $611,186 | $2,029,268 |
| Pataula | $132,257 | $132,257 | $132,257 | |
| Paulding | $1,298,033 | $364,441 | $364,441 | $1,662,474 |
| Piedmont | $62,530 | $62,530 | ||
| Rockdale | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | ||
| Rome | ||||
| South Georgia | $213,248 | $659,787 | $659,787 | $873,035 |
| Southern | ||||
| Southwestern | $332,816 | $332,816 | ||
| Stone Mountain | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | ||
| Tallapoosa | $960,239 | $960,239 | ||
| Tifton | $163,603 | $16,753 | $16,753 | $180,356 |
| Toombs | $499,457 | $430,000 | $430,000 | $929,457 |
| Towaliga | $643,998 | $643,998 | ||
| Waycross | $904,836 | $1,207,971 | $1,207,971 | $2,112,807 |
| Western | $1,323,789 | $1,007,780 | $1,007,780 | $2,331,569 |
| $39,476,327 | $15,371,004 | $15,371,004 | $54,847,331 |
Note: All reported amounts are subject to change based on grant awards that were made conditionally pending pre-approval of select items by the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget, subsequent changes to eligible expenses by OPB and/or the Committee, or based on other Committee adjustments.
For more information:
Bruce Shaw
bruce.shaw@georgiacourts.gov
470-585-2781