Title
Apply for Local Judicial Collection Enhancement Fund Grant Funding to Fund Order of Protection Office Design Modification (Ordinance S-48066)
Description
Request to authorize the Phoenix Municipal Court to apply for grant funding from the Arizona Supreme Court-administered Judicial Collection Enhancement Fund (JCEF) to fund the design modification of the Orders of Protection Office. Further request to authorize the City Treasurer to accept, and the City Controller to disburse, all funds related to this item. The grant funding would not exceed $75,000.
Report
Summary
The Phoenix Municipal Court is seeking grant funding to cover costs associated with modifying the Order of Protection Office remodel plans. The Court would like to move the Protective Order Office to the second floor of the Court building in order to use the two adjacent courtrooms for ex-parte and contested hearings. This new location and re-design will also allow staff to better assist the judiciary and customers with timelier processing of protective order cases, in addition to providing greater control and monitoring of the flow of parties in and out of the courtrooms. There will be additional benefits to moving this office to the second floor, including it being easier to locate for customers and improved response times time by interpreters, victim advocates, court security, and law enforcement. Customers routinely spend over two hours in the Court completing the steps required to obtain a protective order and staff believes expanding and moving the Order of Protection Office will help facilitate this process for our customers.
Financial Impact
Funds will be made available in the Phoenix Municipal Court local JCEF account. The Phoenix Municipal Court must submit a funding plan and application to the Arizona Supreme Court Administrative Office of the Courts to secure approval for use of JCEF funds pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes section 12-113. No General Fund dollars will be used.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is recommended by Chief Presiding Judge B. Don Taylor and Deputy City Manager Karen Peters.