Oklahoma Bar Journal
Bar Foundation News | Oklahoma Bar Foundation Court Grants at Work
By Renee DeMoss
Across Oklahoma, judges are confronting courtroom challenges that most people never realize exist. At least one district court is relying on a borrowed karaoke system for sound because it has no operating audio equipment; Some are using failing audio and video technology from the 1960s, requiring parts that can no longer be replaced; and others even lack an on-site court reporter. Requests to the Oklahoma Bar Foundation for grants to address these actual situations have been submitted by Oklahoma judges to deal with the daily realities facing them.
These requests speak to a broader infrastructure crisis that directly affects the administration of justice. Judges can’t move cases along swiftly and efficiently. Lawyers can’t take advantage of the technological advances in trial practice devices. Juries, witnesses, and the public can’t adequately view evidence or hear testimony.
That is why the OBF provides specific grant funding to Oklahoma district and appellate courts annually, assisting with courtroom technology and other needs relating to the administration of justice. These grants specifically fund technology and resources that enhance court operations, rather than finance major renovations, labor, or maintenance.
Funds are typically used for essential items such as:
- Digital court recording equipment
- Courtroom sound systems
- Courtroom evidence display equipment
- Wireless network technology for public use
- Video equipment
Updates on items such as these not only address infrastructure problems, but also increase communications between citizens and courts in rural areas and bridge existing resource gaps. All Oklahomans who rely on functional accessible courts benefit from these grants.
The distinguished Okmulgee County Courthouse provides a good example of what court grants can do. Their 2024 grant application explained that the courthouse had been built in 1917, and it is beautifully graced with Italian marble columns and benches. There had, however, been no improvements for years, and maintenance had been continually deferred. One particular courtroom had not been touched since the 1970s. This courtroom’s technology consisted of one microphone on the witness stand, one speaker on the judge’s bench, and a loaned desktop from the county jail for video court use. When videos were shown, they were projected onto a concrete/plaster wall. The inability to view video or hear audio evidence hindered the court’s ability to timely rule in some cases, and in bench trials, matters were sometimes taken under advisement so the videos could be viewed in chambers or on the judge’s personal devices.
However, with a grant from the OBF, the court has been able to make needed technological changes that have transformed proceedings in the courtroom. Judge Deborah Reheard put it this way:
“Our courtroom now functions as it should, and our cases can proceed as they should. The new TV display monitor and screen allow everyone to see video evidence without the distraction of a plaster wall. The acoustics are superb, and everyone in the courtroom can hear and understand the proceedings. We have the ability to conduct remote hearings, such as when necessary from the jail, so everyone is safer. It is so much easier to function in a courtroom equipped with modern technology, and we thank the OBF for the grant that made this upgrade possible.”
The OBF is proud to announce 11 grants awarded to Oklahoma courts for the year 2026 in the total amount of $366,390.95 that will have a similar consequential impact on access to justice across the state.
Originally published in the Oklahoma Bar Journal – OBJ 97 No. 7 (September 2026)
Statements or opinions expressed in the Oklahoma Bar Journal are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Oklahoma Bar Association, its officers, Board of Governors, Board of Editors or staff.