Login | November 12, 2026
Mahoning County Juvenile Court receives a technology grant
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: November 12, 2026
Plans are underway to increase access to legal proceedings and services at the Mahoning County Juvenile Court.
This after it was selected to receive a $24,751.80 technology grant from the Ohio Supreme Court.
Launched in 2015, the grant program provides financial assistance to local courts for technology projects designed to improve operations and increase efficiency.
Mahoning County Juvenile Court Judge Theresa Dellick said the funding will allow for the continued modernization of the facility, enabling it to better serve children and families.
“Technology has become an essential part of ensuring that court proceedings are accessible, efficient and responsive to the needs of the families who come before us,” said Judge Dellick.
“We are grateful to the Supreme Court of Ohio for its continued investment in local courts.”
Gina DeGenova, a magistrate and court administrator for Mahoning County Juvenile Court, applied for the grant in August to expand remote access to hearings and other court matters for participants and service providers.
“Improving our technology is ultimately about improving access to justice,” said DeGenova. “The families we serve often have multiple providers and agencies involved in their cases.
“Having reliable technology allows those professionals to participate more effectively while helping the court move cases forward in a timely manner.”
Specifically, the grant will allow for retrofitting four of the five courtrooms with large video conferencing monitors to enable witnesses, attorneys, treatment providers, agency representatives and other parties to attend hearings remotely.
“One of our courtrooms already has this capability,” said DeGenova.
In addition, the court plans to add a smart panel to its main conference room, expanding its ability to hold parenting classes and specialized docket treatment team meetings virtually.
The grant will also cover the cost of upgrading the transcription services program so that it can easily convert spoken proceedings into searchable written text.
Currently, court hearings are captured via digital audio recordings but are not transcribed unless specifically requested or required, said DeGenova.
“So, when the judge or magistrates need to review testimony or want to use a quote in an opinion, there is no way to pinpoint where the information is located without listening to the entire recording,” said DeGenova.
“Having a written transcript will enable magistrates and other authorized personnel to quickly locate specific testimony, statements, rulings, dates or information from a hearing.
“This will significantly reduce the amount of time spent manually reviewing audio recordings, allowing personnel to devote more time to case management and direct services for children and families,” she said.
DeGenova said the goal is to have the new equipment and software in place by December.
“We are grateful for the grant since it will allow us to make some of these key upgrades without using taxpayer money,” she said.