Companies Partner to Deliver Innovation Inside and Out of the Courthouse

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Our nation's courts deserve a technology upgrade. Yet, optimizing court processes and taking them online is a huge undertaking that no single software can adequately accomplish. Today, two innovative suppliers of justice technologies have announced an alternative to outdated 'big box' court systems by partnering to deliver a portfolio of mission-specific court solutions.

equivant is a longstanding provider of court case management and justice integration platforms. Its CourtView and JWorks software are used by justice stakeholders nationwide to manage millions of transactions daily. Matterhorn by Court Innovations is an online dispute resolution (ODR) platform that leverages court case data to help citizens resolve ticket, warrant, family, and small claims matters without the hassles and cost of in-person hearings. The seamless integration of these products extends Matterhorn to communities across the U.S. and allows equivant to offer ODR as a pluggable component of its case management suite.

A customer of both companies, Franklin County Municipal Court, in Columbus, Ohio, uses both Court Innovation and equivant products. According to Alex Sanchez, Manager of the Small Claims Division and Dispute Resolution Department, "Matterhorn provides the public with an online platform to resolve their disputes in a way that works for them while saving valuable court resources by encouraging case resolution prior to any trial date. Similarly, equivant's CourtView CMS has increased our court's efficiency with the implementation of e-filing, which allows court users to view and file documents online. These online systems have resulted in direct benefits to the public and our court." In August, Alex Sanchez accepted the Ohio State Bar Association's 2017 Judicial Administration and Legal Reform Committee Innovative Court Practices Award on behalf of the Franklin County Municipal Court's Online Dispute Resolution Program.

According to Jeffrey Harmon, equivant General Manager, "We're excited to combine best-of-breed solutions that deliver greater efficiencies and value for our courts and the public, nationally and internationally."

MJ Cartwright, CEO of Court Innovations, agrees, "We hear from courts that they want simplicity and ease-of-use for their own staff and for the public. The integration of Matterhorn with equivant's software delivers just that. It's a win-win-win for courts, their agency partners, and the public because it extends their reach online and streamlines court process."

Both companies regularly participate in national forums to champion collaboration between court technology suppliers. They are active members of the IJIS Institute Court Advisory Committee and recently framed a panel at the 2017 Court Technology Conference in Salt Lake City, UT. They will exhibit at the National Association for Presiding Judges and Court Officers/National Center for State Courts leadership conference in Scottsdale, Arizona September 24-27 where Court Innovation's Cartwright will co-present "Online Dispute Resolution: Coming to a Trial Court Near You".

About equivant

equivant is based in Canton, Ohio with regional offices across the country. For over three decades it has delivered mission-critical technology to courts, public attorneys, and supervision officials with interoperable software components that address the operational needs of state and local justice agencies. equivant pursues its mission to deliver better outcomes to all who touch the justice system by investing in its staff and in modern technologies that help to inform decisions at every step. In addition to core case management systems, equivant can provide a full suite of complementary solutions including judicial tools, e-filing, e-payment, notifications, workflow, ODR, compliance monitoring, and more. For more information, visit equivant.com.

About Court Innovations

Court Innovations is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Its product Matterhorn allows courts to handle many high-volume infractions completely online, saving citizens and courts time and money. Matterhorn is in over 30 courts in Michigan, Ohio, and Arkansas and has helped courts and citizens resolve over 20,000 tickets and disputes online. For more information, visit https://getmatterhorn.com/online-dispute-resolution-for-courts/ and be sure to check out the research bulletin on "Online Dispute Resolution and the Courts" released by the Joint Technology Committee in collaboration with COSCA, NACM, and NCSC.

Contact for equivant
Kris Hoy
330-470-4240
[email protected]

Contact for Court Innovations
Dunrie Greiling
734-276-3873
[email protected]

SOURCE Court Innovations

Related Links

https://www.courtinnovations.com/cii/