The second annual CourtHack was held in New Jersey in late April, which drew 38 participants who were determined to make “justice fair and accessible for all” for the state courts. The event was organized by National Center for State Courts (NCSC) and produced by HackerNest Toronto.

The 30-hour competition wasn’t just for altruism, there were cash prices for the top winners.

Kevin Bowling, Court Administrator, 20th Circuit & Ottawa County Probate Court (Grand Haven, Mich.) was enthusiastic:  “The 2017 CourtHack, hosted by NCSC, was a great opportunity for participants to consider real-world problems encountered by court users and create new technology applications that improve the court experience and assist court users resolve their legal issues.”

“In time, as these creative [innovations] are implemented by trial courts, the overall administration of justice will be improved,” he said.

The full story is on Thomson Reuters’ Legal Executive Institute’s blog (The Justice Ecosystem). It includes the challenges; the judges; a video; and an interview with the Grand Prize winning team, (Akbar Farook (left) and Vijay Deep).

Monica Bay is a Fellow at CodeX and a freelance journalist. She is a member of the California bar. Email: mbay@codex.stanford.edu. Twitter: @MonicaBay.