Clay County approves Odyssey discovery portal implementation, initial costs prorated across three counties

Clay County Commissioners Court on Jan. 27 approved adding a Tyler Technologies “Odyssey” discovery portal to the district court’s case-management system and authorized paying the county’s prorated share of the implementation cost.

Court staff said the portal will allow law enforcement to upload offense reports, body-worn camera and dash-cam video, 911 calls and other discovery directly into Odyssey and provide secure, auditable access to defense attorneys and court staff. ‘‘It also allows us a lot of accountability across the board from law enforcement, my agency, all the way over to the defense,’’ the court staff member told the commissioners.

Court staff described the change as a response to a backlog of older cases still stored in the county’s legacy system (LGS). The district court’s previously purchased, reduced-capability version of Odyssey did not include the portal; staff said manual re-entry of old case files into Odyssey has created duplicated records and slowed case processing.

The court heard that the portal will reduce manual scanning and physical copying of evidence and create an electronic log showing when files are received and when defense attorneys access materials. The presenter said certain sensitive items, such as forensic interview recordings for serious offenses, will remain view-only at the court and not be downloadable from the portal.

Commissioners were told implementation is a one-time cost that includes the initial annual fee for the current fiscal year and that the expense will be prorated among Archer, Clay and Montague counties based on population. The meeting packet and staff presentation identified an implementation figure separate from ongoing annual fees; staff said next-year annual fees were estimated at $18,002.61 for year two, about $19,017.40 for year three and $20,001.33 for year four. Staff also said a full electronic migration from LGS to Odyssey would have cost six figures and that the portal represented a lower-cost alternative for catching up.

A commissioner asked whether the county would need a budget amendment later; staff replied current line-item funds are available now but acknowledged a future amendment could be required depending on court activity. The court approved the portal by general consent after discussion, with the motion made by Commissioner Jack and an approval recorded without objection.

The presenter said law enforcement and defense will not be charged to access the portal and that the portal includes protections to prevent copying or recording certain non-discoverable files. Staff also said the portal can streamline clerk access to arrest, warrant and bond information.

Court discussion also covered operational details: staff explained that the district court must maintain LGS for legacy discovery until migration is complete and that some manual uploads will continue during the transition. Commissioners asked for the exact FY line items to be confirmed and indicated they expect staff to monitor budget impacts during the remainder of the fiscal year.

The court approved the item by general consent. Staff said the implementation will be prorated for the fiscal year once the agreement is signed and that future fees will be charged to each county according to the agreed population split.