APRIL 2024 | 95 THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL includes adult populations who are often not able to access legal counsel. To access the report, visit www.okbarfoundation.org and click on the 2023 Impact Report button. “However, that is not all the foundation has accomplished. Through its grants and awards programs, it has provided funding for court improvements, including tech grants for needed equipment. That includes items such as recording devices and video equipment in the courtrooms, software and more,” Mr. Dowell said. “A large portion of those grants are focused in rural area courtrooms,” he added. In total, in 2023, the OBF granted $148,366.04 to counties specifically for support equipment, software and audio and visual equipment. “Over the years, we have helped all 77 counties with courtroom needs,” Mr. Dowell said. Another timely program supported by the OBF is the Court Reporter Rural Service Grant Program. This program aims to increase the availability of court reporters in rural Oklahoma courts by providing educational grants to court-reporting schools for scholarships and equipment. The program also funds stipends for qualified court reporters who agree to work in rural communities. “Many people don’t understand the negative impact that a critical lack of court reporters has on the effort to provide swift justice for victims and accused alike,” Mr. Dowell said. Recently, in Woodward County, a frustrated defense attorney waiting outside a busy courtroom discussed with a peer the devastating impact a lack of court reporters has on fair justice for everyone because of the huge scheduling problems in rural courts that have to wait for a visiting court reporter. Through the OBF, two grant types are available. The first is an Employment Grant, which assists district courts in rural Oklahoma in finding and employing qualified court reporters through a financial incentive grant provided directly to a successful court reporter candidate. The second is an Educational Block Grant, which is awarded to qualified educational institutions with court reporting programs that commit to using grant funds to achieve the objective of meeting court reporter needs in rural Oklahoma. To apply for those grants, visit https://bit.ly/49ZLhfQ. Judge Jon K. Parsley of the Texas County District Court knows firsthand the ethical issues around making sure this critical court reporting job is filled in all rural courts: “For many years, we have struggled with only one court reporter working for all five judges in the First Judicial District. Our courts simply cannot function without a reporter, so I went on a desperate search for one. The Oklahoma Bar Foundation Court Reporter Rural Services Grant was critical to me in employing a new court reporter. Informing my prospective reporter of the $15,000 grant for taking the job in the Panhandle sealed the deal. I cannot thank the OBF enough for administering the program that has allowed me to keep the court system functioning in the First Judicial District.” “An organization with this much reach and a mission that is focused but growing every year needs members,” Mr. Dowell said. “I can assure you that even among lawyers, it is not well enough known what all the OBF does. But more importantly, when we talk to them, a lot of people think all this money stays in large city areas. But that is not true at all. We recognize the need for an emphasis in rural Oklahoma and we respond accordingly.” Ms. Van Horn serves as assistant editor for the Woodward News.
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