Description and Purpose of Award:

This prestigious award will be in “Recognition of technology innovation in courts for the purpose of improved communication, operational efficiencies and access to justice using information and communications technologies while addressing the security and resilience required to maintain the integrity of the justice system.”  Information sharing technologies will be a foundational consideration.  The application of emergent and critical technologies (e.g., Artificial Intelligence, and security) will be strongly considered.  It will be given by a coalition of representatives from the following organizations: IJIS, NCSC, NACM, JTC. 

Eligibility:

Courts with or without the assistance of solution providers, are eligible to apply if they have implemented an innovative information and communication technology project that enhances information sharing between the court and the community it serves.  Each year, areas of interest are highlighted in the competition, to address current IT issues and opportunities for the courts.  Areas of particular interest for 2026 include: 

• Digital Transformation & Court Modernization – Recognizes innovations in modernizing court operations, case management systems, and digital workflows that improve efficiency, access to justice, and public service delivery.
• Data Analytics & Business Intelligence – Highlights the use of data-driven decision-making tools, dashboards, and analytics platforms to improve operational outcomes, reporting, and performance management across justice and public safety agencies.
• Interoperability & Justice Information Exchange – Celebrates solutions that advance seamless data sharing and integration across criminal justice, courts, probation, prosecution, and public safety systems to improve case outcomes and public safety.

The application must have been implemented in the last 18 months and supported justice operations for at least 6 months.  Submissions that involve the areas of interest will receive preferential evaluation. 

Submissions

Who can Submit?

1. Nominations will be accepted from or on behalf of Federal /State/Local Courts.
2. Nominations will also be accepted from IJIS Member Companies working with Federal/ State / Local Government courts, or as part of a partnership arrangement with a Court.
3. Nominations must be submitted with the Court’s CIO approval.

Evaluation Criteria and Eligibility

Criteria:

How does your program demonstrate the following?

• Innovation & Creativity
  • Demonstrates novel or creative application of technology in court operations
  • Shows forward-thinking approach to solving court challenges
  • Introduces new methodologies or approaches not widely adopted in the court system
• Impact & Results
  • Measurable improvements in court efficiency, case processing times, or operational costs
  • Enhanced access to justice for court users (litigants, attorneys, public)
  • Quantifiable benefits to court staff productivity or service delivery
  • Scalability and potential for replication in other courts
• Technical Excellence
  • Quality of technical implementation and system design
  • Integration with existing court systems and workflows
  • Security, Cyber Security, reliability, and compliance with relevant standards (including CJIS where applicable)
  • User experience and accessibility considerations
• Collaboration & Leadership
  • Demonstrates effective partnership across departments, agencies, or jurisdictions
  • Shows leadership in advancing court technology standards
  • Involves stakeholder engagement (judges, clerks, IT staff, public)
  • Contribution to the broader court technology community
• Sustainability & Long-Term Value
  • Evidence of ongoing support and maintenance planning
  • Cost-effectiveness and return on investment
  • Adaptability to future needs and technological changes
  • Documentation and knowledge sharing with the court community
• Alignment with Justice System Goals
  • Supports fair and equitable administration of justice
  • Improves transparency and public trust in the courts
  • Addresses critical challenges facing modern courts
  • Enhances judicial decision-making or case management

Evaluation Panel Scoring

Recruitment of Evaluators:

• Panel: At least one representative from each sponsoring organization will serve as an evaluator.  Others may be recruited based on volume of applications.
• Educational value or reviewing nominated projects

Review:

Prior to a request for nominations, the chairman of the IJIS Courts Advisory Committee will appoint a panel of judges and designate one member of the panel as chair.  The judges will review all nominations to determine compliance with eligibility and nomination requirements.  If the nomination does not meet the guidelines the nominator will be notified and granted 48 hours to resolve the issues. Nominations that remain non-compliant will not be reviewed by the judges.

Scoring:

Scoring to be developed.  Scoring to be based on a 1 to 5 scale with 5 being the highest in each criteria category with grand total of 30.

Nomination Requirements

Those nominating should fill out the form (see button below) and email it to: Diane.Corrales@ijis.org

Submissions for the 2026 Court Technology and Innovation Award will be accepted from April 27, 2026, through May 22, 2026.

Award and Presentation

Presentation of Award:

This award will be presented at the NACM conference during the week of July 12-16^th, 2026

Award: 

The award itself will consist of a single plaque or other physical representation, and one complimentary day of registration and travel for up to two individuals to the conference for presentation.  Travel will include airfare, one night of lodging, per diem, transportation and parking.