Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Court Modernization topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee backs pilot to send automated text reminders for court dates
Summary
The committee approved a resolution directing the judiciary to pilot automated text‑message court‑date reminders in Justice of the Peace court, citing evidence that reminders reduce missed appearances; one‑time development costs were estimated at about $30,000 and ongoing messaging costs about $10,000 annually.
The Judiciary Committee voted to release a resolution to pilot automated text reminders for scheduled court appearances, aiming to reduce missed appearances and the downstream consequences for litigants, victims and court staff.
Representative Cook described SJR 13 as a small, data‑driven intervention: two automated text reminders (one week before and one day before) to users of Justice of the Peace court, with pilot reporting back to the General Assembly on costs and outcomes. He said DELJIS and court staff expect a one‑time development cost of roughly $30,000 and annual messaging costs of about $10,000. "This is something that's really economical," Cook said.
Isabel Shapiro of the Pew Charitable Trust told the committee that randomized controlled trials show text reminders reduce failures to appear by 20–40% and that roughly 37% of missed appearances are due to forgetting. The Office of Defense Services and other supporters said the change could prevent warrants and collateral consequences for people who simply missed hearings.
Committee members asked about return on investment and integration with existing systems (Vinelink/DELJIS); sponsors said the pilot will provide the needed data and that courts have existing infrastructure to build on.
Outcome: the resolution was reported out of committee for further action; sponsors said the pilot will be evaluated and the judiciary will report back on cost, timelines, and feasibility for expansion to other courts.
Next steps: judiciary staff will be asked to provide a report after the pilot period; committee members suggested attention to accessibility and anti‑scam communications to distinguish official messages from fraud.
