Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Conner presented a check for $10,519 to Administrative Judge Thomas Herman on June 3 for technology upgrades to the Common Pleas Court as part of the Supreme Court’s Ohio Courts Technology Initiative.

Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor presented a check for $10,519 to Administrative Judge Thomas Herman on June 3 for technology upgrades to the Common Pleas Court as part of the Supreme Court’s Ohio Courts Technology Initiative.
By Kelly Doran
Sun staff

Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor came to the Clermont County Courthouse on June 3 to present a check for technology upgrades.

“We’re pleased and honored to have all of you here today this afternoon with us. We’re especially pleased to have Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor with us and we’re just as excited to have the check that she’s brought with her,” said Administrative Judge Thomas Herman.

The check for $10,519 will be used for recording devices and a screen to look at pictures and watch videos on for the new grand jury room, said Jason Nagel, chief felony assistant.

“We would be lost without technology,” O’Connor said. In today’s society, it is necessary to justify what they do using data. Also, courts cannot effectively operate without technology, she said.

This grant is part of $1.9 million that the Supreme Court is giving to local courts in Ohio for technology projects this year, O’Connor said. So far, the Supreme Court has given out 89 grants.

“It’s just a great use of public dollars,” O’Connor said.

This is a nice example of state government supporting local government, O’Connor said.

When the remodeling in the basement of the courthouse finished and some probation officers moved down there, that cleared up some space on the first floor of the courthouse, which will become the new grand jury room soon, Herman said.

The current grand jury room is off of the main lobby in the courthouse and people waiting to testify do not have any privacy. Because of that, someone coming into the courthouse could recognize witnesses, Nagel said.

Some witnesses are confidential or are undercover police officers, Herman said.

The new grand jury room has a private waiting room, which provides more security and privacy for witnesses, Nagel said.

The grant will help the prosecutor’s office make use of the new room quicker, Nagel said.

The screen will allow those in the grand jury room to look at photos and videos more easily, Nagel said.

In addition, without recording equipment, the court reporter’s office must provide a recorder or the grand jury must go to a room with a recorder, according to a press release.