New Sound System, Lobby Docket System Coming to Morgan County Court Thanks to Grant Funding

By Jeremy Coumbes on March 31, 2022 at 10:27am

New technology is coming to the Morgan County Court.

The Morgan County Circuit Clerk’s Office announced today the county court system has been awarded a Technology Modernization Grant from the Illinois State Supreme Court and the Administrative Office of Illinois Courts.

Morgan County will receive $22,606.76 to update technology and related support systems for the court. Morgan County Circuit Clerk Amy Sipes says one of the biggest improvements will be replacing the old sound system in the main courtroom.

It will improve hearing the court, and what happens is very important for the audience or for anyone that is involved, especially the court reporter while she is taking everything down on the record. So improving our sound system is going to be fantastic.”

Sipes says in addition to the new sound system improvements, the Morgan County Court will also implement a new “Lobby Docket” system which will consist of a pair of large monitors that will let people know if they have court and which courtroom they are scheduled in.

The monitors will be installed in the basement near the main entrance and in the lobby outside of the courtrooms on the second floor. Sipes says the information screens will work much like those found in an airport or a hospital, and they will be able to display more information than just what’s going on it court that day.

The other offices in the building will be able to use it as well. So if there is a special something coming up, or if the Commissioners have a special meeting scheduled, they should be able to out something on there.

The County Treasurer may be able to out on there when the taxes are due. The County Clerk I would assume would be able to put information on there as to how to vote or when to vote and when the elections are.”

Sipes says they are still in the process of acquiring the equipment so she does not have a hard and fast date of when the new systems will be implemented.

She says the grant requires the funds must be used by May 17th so she is hopeful they will be installed and operational in the next few months.