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Orphans' Court judge urges technology updates and city benefits alignment as court serves grieving families
Summary
Chief Judge Lewin Garrett told the council that Baltimore City’s Orphans' Court — a city agency separate from the Circuit Court — needs upgraded technology, clearer maintenance contracts, and parity on some employee benefits; Garrett said the court’s budget is under $1 million and described efforts to expedite property matters for decedents.
Lewin Garrett, chief judge of the Orphans' Court in Baltimore City, told the Baltimore City Council Wednesday that the Orphans' Court is a city agency with a budget of less than $1 million and needs upgraded technology and access to city employee benefits to better serve grieving families.
“The Orphans' Court is a state institution. We are a city agency, and that's one of the drastic big difference[s],” Garrett said, emphasizing the court’s role managing decedents’ property and assets and the need to respond quickly to families during traumatic times.
Garrett said the Orphans' Court’s budget is “by $820,000 and some months,” indicating the court’s operating budget is under $1 million, and described ongoing work with the budget office on technology and staffing needs. Garrett said the court is moving to CourseMarked (a case-management platform) to enable remote hearings and improve responsiveness. “Once we get on CourseMarked, we would be able to do Zoom hearing,” he said.
Garrett asked the council to recognize that the Orphans' Court functions as a city agency for benefits and maintenance matters even though it operates within the judicial framework he described. He also raised concerns about system maintenance and contingency planning if contract services or technology fail, saying the court needs reliable maintenance and procurement arrangements.
On property matters, Garrett described the court’s role when decedents leave property that no one claims and said the court has expedited processes so the city can take custody of such properties when appropriate. He said the court’s work helps families pay bills and settle estates after a death and that improved technology and staffing would reduce delays and costs for the city and families.
Council members thanked Garrett for the presentation and said staff from the finance department and budget office would follow up on maintenance and procurement questions. Garrett and council members agreed to continue coordinating with the budget office and other city partners to implement the technology upgrades and address benefits and maintenance concerns.
