During our July OBF Court Grant Award Committee Meeting, I was again privileged to participate in a process to determine the funding of meritorious court applications that fall within our guidelines. Having been a member of this state-wide Trustee committee since inception of the court grant program, it is easy to be a cheerleader for the OBF. You come to thoroughly understand the compelling immediate needs of the district court applicants. You gain a unique perspective of the need for increased future funding for the OBF. As a G&A Trustee you exercise your fiduciary duty in the process, while using discretion as a good steward of the available funding.
This particular July morning, our Trustees assembled at the Bar Center from all corners of the state to thoughtfully review thirteen applications. The ratio of dollars available to dollars requested is usually one to four and the 2014 court grant requests totaled $330,000. The G&A Committee was able to award eleven requests in the total amount of $86,615. Telephone conference interviews were conducted to hear compelling needs of our various court districts. It became very clear at the end of a long day that although all meritorious applications should to be funded, only critical needs could be met. My immediate thoughts turned to the continuing need for innovative funding to be able to avoid this future dilemma. Your OBF President’s motto is that we cannot earn your continued financial support until we ask. This is my personal invitation to join the OBF umbrella of giving today at OBF Fellows Program Information
Historically, the OBF Court Grant Program was initially funded in 2008 through a generous Cy Pres Award. There have been additional Cy Pres Awards to the Foundation since that time with the most recent award in April 2014 from Custer County. OBF Court Grant making guidelines are unique in that they provide specific funding for court room technology, courtroom capital improvements and extraordinary expenses that cannot be met by existing funding. The Court Grant Program is unique to Oklahoma and there are no other programs like it across the nation.
Each year the needs have been different but consistent. In 2014, the compelling need shared by many counties was for digital courtroom recording equipment. These counties are relying on obsolete audio cassette tape systems without an ability to get replacement tape cassettes or repairs. The need is enormous and dollars available to remedy these issues are limited. The goal of the court grants is to ultimately promote the OBF mission of administration of justice in our court system. Since 2009, the OBF Court Grant Program has awarded Oklahoma District and Appellate Courts $450,000 in grants for essential equipment.
2014 OBF Court Grant Awards as approved by the OBF Board of Trustees are as follow:
- District Court of Blaine County: video arraignment system for improvement of administration and better access to justice = $12,000
- District Court of Pittsburg County: two digital courtroom recording systems for improvement of administration and better access to justice = $14,050
- District Court of Beckham County: two digital courtroom recording systems for improvement of administration and better access to justice = $13,000
- District Court of Custer County: one digital courtroom recording system and three portable units for improvement of administration to justice = $8,300
- District Court of Adair County: courtroom tools upgrade for improvement of administration and better access to justice = $3,920
- District Court of Harper County: one digital courtroom recording system for improvement of administration and better access to justice = $6,770
- District Court of Tulsa County: thirteen portable digital courtroom recording systems for improvement of administration and better access to justice = $14,600
- District Court of Pawnee County: one portable digital courtroom recording system for improvement of administration and better access to justice = $600
- District Court of Hughes County: one courtroom sound system for improvement of administration and better access to justice = $5,675
- District Court of Pushmataha County: three portable digital courtroom recording systems for improvement of administration and better access of justice = $1,400
- District Court of Cleveland County: one digital courtroom recording system for improvement of administration and better access to justice = $6,300
I would be remiss in my duty as OBF president, if I did not tell you about the Fellows umbrella giving program and ask you to join with us in helping the OBF work towards our goals. The Oklahoma Bar Foundation envisions a state where all Oklahomans and families will have access to justice and will be able to better understand their rights and responsibilities under the rule of law. Justice depends on having a fair chance to be heard, regardless of who you are, where you live, or how much money you have.
Please join us today by becoming a contributing member of the Fellow umbrella giving program. The investment is minimal and the rewards are substantial. Join today at OBF Fellows Program Information
Dietmar K. Caudle
2014 OBF President