Marshall County judges win commissioners’ support for $415,000 courtroom-technology push

Marshall County commissioners voted March 2 to back a request from the county’s judges to upgrade courtroom technology and authorized a procurement path that would let the courts move forward with vendors and grant-fee reimbursement planning.

The four judges sought modern audiovisual systems to support hybrid hearings, remote jail connections and more reliable recording. Judge Matthew Aldridge told the board the county’s existing hardware is decades old and that two vendors — CTI and Forte — emerged as the most suitable after site visits and vendor interviews. He said CTI’s proposal came in at $356,830, with an optional two‑year service agreement of about $29,000 a year, and that some costs could be reimbursed through an Indiana Office of Court Services (IOCS) grant submitted in the fall.

“CTI and Forte both install and service the systems; CTI is our first choice,” Judge Aldridge said, adding that Fulton County had been satisfied with CTI’s work. “We need a system that works. Our current system has resulted in repeated outages that disrupt hearings and recordings.”

Commissioners also heard that much of the current hardware dates to the early 2000s and that installation in older courtrooms can uncover additional site costs. Commissioners discussed funding options, including use of special‑liti funds, and a commissioner suggested fronting multi‑year service fees where permitted to capture existing appropriations before year‑end. The court team said vendors offered options to phase work by courtroom if the county preferred to spread costs.

After discussion the board approved a motion expressing support for the judges to proceed with procurement up to $415,000 and adopted Resolution 2026‑2 to enroll Marshall County in the TIPS cooperative purchasing program so the county may piggyback on pre‑negotiated vendor agreements. The board recorded the motion as carried by voice vote and directed that the county council consider funding sources and that the judges finalize vendor selection with one final internal decision.

The judges and county staff said they will pursue the IOCS reimbursement grant in the fall and coordinate installations with county IT to ease transition and future maintenance.

The matter will return to the commissioners and the county council for final funding approval and contract signatures.