02/22/2022 - Press Release
Cleveland Housing Court is participating in a pilot program using new software designed to streamline online mediation efforts and reduce the number of cases going to trial.
Known as OH-Resolve, the project began Feb. 16 for the court’s Small Claims Division. It will expand later to include the Court’s eviction cases.
The court-monitored online messaging and mediation platform lets interested parties type and post messages remotely in their free time. Fewer people would need to take time off from work or arrange for childcare to attend a mandatory virtual or in-person court hearing.
The Supreme Court of Ohio chose Cleveland Housing Court as one of 17 Ohio courts to serve as an Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) Pilot Court.
Cleveland ranks as one of the worst-connected large cities in the nation for internet, but recent local and federal efforts are working to bridge this digital divide. As their internet access increases, more Cleveland residents will be able to use OH-Resolve to try to settle cases out of court.
Participation in the program is mandatory for Cleveland Housing Court’s Small Claims Division. If parties fail to reach an agreement, they will have access to a hearing in front of Judge W. Moná Scott or a Housing Court Magistrate. In 2021, Cleveland Housing Court staff attorneys successfully mediated 22 Small Claims cases through the Zoom video conferencing platform.
The Supreme Court of Ohio is providing the ODR software through Matterhorn, a software vendor specializing in various court software platforms. Cleveland Housing Court learned of its acceptance into the program in December 2020.
The Supreme Court of Ohio created the statewide program after a review of the Coronavirus pandemic’s impact on Ohio courts. Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor directed the Office of Court Services to convene stakeholders to analyze projected caseloads, create strategies for reducing backlogs, and modernize court operations through technology. Subsequently, through a grant from the State Justice Institute, the ODR Pilot Project was developed in late 2020.
For more details on OH-Resolve, go to www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/JCS/disputeResolution/OH-Resolve/default.asp, or tinyurl.com/4cfnb9d6.
