By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com

Livingston County officials have accepted a grant that will help the public more easily conduct business with the courts.

At their final meeting of the year, the County Board of Commissioners authorized the acceptance of a 2022 Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Grant for the trial courts. According to the resolution, the purpose of the grant is provide emergency supplemental funding to Michigan circuit, district, and probate courts to respond to the pandemic. Livingston County Trial Courts have been awarded $159,948 with no local match required.

Circuit Court Administrator John Evans said this will fund some things that he learned are very important to the courts and the community. One project to be implemented will be the addition of indoor/outdoor kiosks. Evans told Commissioners the kiosks will increase the public’s ability to do business with the court by paying their fines and submitting their paperwork in a contactless way and after-hours.

Another project to be funded through the grant is the implementation of OnBase services, which will put case files online and fulfill a Michigan Supreme Court requirement to participate in e-filing.

These projects were previously funded in the 2022 budget using American Rescue Plan Acts funds, but the grant will now allow that money to be redirected to other projects. Being approved at their latest meeting also met a deadline to receive a discounted price from project provider ImageSoft. The Board of Commissioners approved accepting the grant unanimously.