The Fifth District Court of Appeals has been awarded a $14,395.74 technology grant from the Ohio Supreme Court to purchase equipment necessary to establish video-conferencing between the counties in the district.

With the new equipment, the court will have the ability to conduct oral arguments via video-conferencing, which will speed the resolution of cases, reduce the cost of travel for the judges, and limit the travel of attorneys in the district.

The Fifth District Court of Appeals plan to complete the project by Sept. 15.

The Fifth District is composed of 15 counties in north central Ohio: Delaware, Ashland, Coshocton, Fairfield, Guernsey, Holmes, Knox, Licking, Morgan, Morrow, Muskingum, Perry, Richland, Stark and Tuscarawas.

The court has six elected judges from three different counties — Delaware, Newark and Stark.

Grant funds were made possible under the Ohio Courts Technology Initiative, district officials said. The initiative was established to facilitate the exchange of information and warehousing of data by and between Ohio courts and other justice system partners.

Judges in the Fifth District Court of Appeals are presiding judge W. Scott Gwin; administrative judge Sheila G. Farmer; William B. Hoffman; John W. Wise; Patricia A. Delaney; and Craig R. Baldwin.