Will Remote Tech for Court Services Improve Digital Equity?

As the pandemic swept in during spring 2020, many courts temporarily suspended jury trials and postponed nonemergency hearings, limited access to courthouse facilities and sent home nonessential workers. Judicial teams around the country scrambled to find ways to translate their processes beyond the courthouse doors and ensure they could still serve both tech-savvy residents and those with little digital access. Courts couldn’t afford to leave residents unserved while officials searched for the ideal digital tools, so one lesson emerged: When navigating these new waters, don’t wait on finding the perfect answer — just start trying something, see what works and make changes from there.