Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2024, $1,012,000)
Under this award, the Connecticut Judicial Branch requests funds for the development of an automated court computer process that will align NICS cancellations with the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act annual reporting codes and enable local courts and state court administrators to electronically access and archive all documents that are used in emergency risk protection order (ERPO) cases (sometimes referred to as “red flag” orders) when a person is found to pose an imminent risk of physical danger to himself, herself, or other persons. An automated electronic court case management component will be put in place which will accommodate all of the underlying court forms that must accompany the ERPO application including; affidavits, firearms search warrants, and the actual court orders. This is anticipated to deliver efficiencies to mental health agencies, law enforcement, and the local courts and result in critical information related to ERPOs being delivered electronically and in a more accurate, complete, and timelier manner to state court administrators for validation and entry into NICS; enable state court administrators to have ERPO related documents readily available to maintain and validate the NICS records; and, enable local court staff and state court administrators to provide assistance to the criminal justice and mental health communities throughout the nation with any related background checks or mental health services.