The vision for a modern, connected court system
Recognizing the need to improve consistency, information sharing, reporting, and long-term sustainability across Georgia’s courts, the Judicial Council of Georgia / Administrative Office of the Courts launched an effort to create a single case management system that could serve courts across the state while meeting the unique needs of different court types and local jurisdictions. The vision: replace fragmented legacy systems with a secure, statewide platform that would streamline court administration, improve access to information, strengthen public safety partnerships, and provide a more connected experience for judges, clerks, attorneys, and citizens. From the outset, the project focused on balancing statewide consistency with local flexibility, creating a common technology foundation while supporting different court processes, jurisdictions, and case types.
A powerful partnership
Creating a system of this scale required the right combination of expertise and partnership. Following a competitive procurement process, the AOC selected a local team of partners at Amazon Web Services and Slalom in early 2025 to help bring the vision to life. Under the oversight and stewardship of the Judicial Council /AOC, each firm contributed the business, cloud, software engineering, project management, and training resources needed to successfully deliver this transformation. Together, the project team established a collaborative model that also included court subject matter experts, judges, clerks, and stakeholders from across the judicial branch. This approach ensured that decisions would be guided not only by technical requirements, but also by a deep understanding of how courts operate every day.
Careful planning, strategy, and ongoing collaboration
Rather than beginning with technology, the project began with Georgia’s courts. Before development began, project teams traveled throughout Georgia to observe court operations, interview stakeholders, and better understand the challenges and opportunities facing courts of different sizes and jurisdictions. This discovery effort produced deeply detailed requirements representing the needs of judges, clerks, court staff, attorneys, and citizens. These insights helped define the core capabilities needed in a modern statewide system and established a roadmap for development that reflected the realities of court operations.
Bringing Gavel to life
With the foundation established, the project moved into an agile development approach that emphasized collaboration, iterative delivery, and continuous feedback. Teams worked in short development cycles, regularly demonstrating progress and incorporating feedback from court stakeholders. Over time, individual features evolved into a comprehensive platform supporting case management, document management, scheduling, financial processes, eFiling, reporting, security, and statewide search. Along the way, a brand identity, Gavel, was introduced to reflect the trust, consistency, and statewide connection the system was designed to provide. The system’s initial release launched in December 2025, with new features and enhancements delivered throughout 2026.
Delivering value across Georgia
Today, Gavel is helping modernize the administration of justice by connecting courts, agencies, attorneys, and citizens through a shared digital platform. The platform currently supports Probate, Accountability, Magistrate, State, and Superior Courts while providing specialized functionality tailored to each court type. As additional courts come online and new capabilities are introduced, the system continues to evolve based on feedback from its users. Gavel represents a valuable long-term investment in a more connected, efficient, and modern judicial system that better serves court professionals and the communities they support.