Previous Communications

First August 2026 Update

As we have previously communicated, CACJ is working with all accountability courts to transition away from CaseWorX and Connexis Cloud to Gavel, the State’s new case management system (CMS), by July 1, 2027. We are excited about this transition and are committed to partnering with you all to create a thoughtful, transparent, and integrated plan for this transition.

To this end, welcome to the first edition of the Gavel Information Series for Accountability Courts. 

Helping you stay informed
As implementation teams continue preparing for the expansion of Gavel, we want to help your court stay informed and ready for what's ahead. Over the coming weeks and months, you will receive regular emails like this one, designed specifically for accountability courts, with information about the implementation process, helpful resources, and guidance on preparing for a successful transition to Gavel.


Implementing Gavel in your court in 4 phases
As your court prepares to transition to Gavel, there will be several activities designed to ensure you are ready to adopt and use the new system. Here’s what you can expect to do in each phase:

Phase 1/ Onboarding 
Work with the implementation team to provide specific information about your court, configure Gavel for your program(s), and ensure users have the access and tools they need to get started.

Phase 2/ Data Migration & Validation
Review information migrated into Gavel and help confirm that participant, case, financial, and program data is accurate before your court’s go-live date.

Phase 3/ Training & Practice
Attend training sessions and take advantage of practice opportunities to become familiar with Gavel and build confidence using the system.

Phase 4/ Go-Live & Graduation
Prepare for the transition from your current case management system (and any important integrations, e.g., drug labs) and begin using Gavel for daily operations.


Today’s focus: Getting ready for Phase 1/Onboarding
During onboarding, your court will work with the implementation team from CACJ, the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), and its partners (AWS/Slalom) to set up the Gavel system and prepare for migration. To prepare for those sessions, courts should be compiling the following information and/or preparing for the following activities:

  • Providing a list of your court’s users and the level of access they need in Gavel.
  • Submitting a list of current program fees in your court.
  • Considering whether your court will accept credit card payments.
  • Considering whether your court will transition to one of two Gavel-approved drug testing lab vendors or utilize its existing provider(s) (such decision being subject to discussions with the project team).
  • Documenting program and treatment plan templates. 


What to expect next
In future editions, we'll take a closer look at each implementation phase, including onboarding activities, training opportunities, readiness planning, and available support resources.

Our next communication will focus on drug testing lab integration service (LIS) vendor options. Gavel has established relationships with two approved vendors — Paracelsus and Abbott — who offer reliable drug testing integration services. Courts will need to work with their current drug lab analyzer vendor to decide whether to transition to one of these vendors or retain their current provider.

Have a question about Gavel? Complete the linked form detailing your questions and/or concerns about the new statewide accountability court case management system, Gavel. Your question(s) will be reviewed and incorporated in future communication.

 

Weekly Roundtable Accountability Court Sessions. The AOC has hosted weekly roundtables showcasing the features and functionalities of Gavel since early 2025. In particular, we recommend everyone watch Episode 15 (Accountability Court Spotlight) and Episode 56 (Working with Accountability Courts), which provide information about how Gavel will specifically address the needs of accountability courts.  

Want more information on Gavel? We encourage you to visit the AOC’s CMS website for additional updates, timelines, and resources about Gavel.

Second August 2026 Update

Email sent to Coordinators by Rachel Gage on 8/11/26

As mentioned in Taylor’s email last week, we are excited to continue working with you all to prepare for the implementation of Gavel across all Georgia’s accountability courts. Today, we highlight Gavel’s drug testing features and solicit your help to complete a survey that will inform the drug testing transition plans for Gavel.

 Gavel drug testing features 

  1. Courts will be able to randomly schedule participants’ drug testing directly in Gavel based on an identified cadence. This feature means (i) you can select a participant individually, by track, or by phase; (ii) you can identify how often you require them to drug test; and (iii) you can have Gavel automatically schedule a participant’s drug testing.
  2. Courts can configure their drug testing schedule, location, panels, hours of testing, etc. based on their unique needs.
  3. Participants will be notified either by phone or email that they are required to drug test that day. Courts can customize the time notifications are sent to selected participants. Participants can check-in through Gavel when they arrive to drug test.
  4. Gavel has established relationships with two approved laboratory integration systems (“LIS”) vendors – Paracelsus and Abbott – that offer reliable drug testing integration services. If your in-house or external lab does not currently use either of these LIS vendors, then you will need to work with your current drug lab analyzer vendor to decide whether to transition to one of these LIS vendors or retain your drug lab analyzer vendor’s current provider.
    1. If you elect to utilize one of the two Gavel LIS vendors, through this integration you will be able to utilize automated drug test orders for routine and drug test confirmations, chain-of-custody procedures, and automated drug test results, limiting manual drug test data entry.
    2. If your drug lab decides to retain its current provider, CACJ cannot guarantee lab integration services unless such vendor establishes an integration with Gavel. We will work with you and your vendor directly on any questions.

What we need from you 

  • Please complete this linked survey that aims to collect current information on your drug lab usage. It should take no more than 5-10 minutes to complete.
  • The survey also includes questions related to the statewide drug testing instrument contract that will inform future work.
  • Please complete the survey by Tuesday, August 18th by 5pm. Your timely responses will allow CACJ and the Gavel project team to plan effectively for your court’s transition to Gavel. 

July 1, 2026 Update

JC/AOC Monthly Update

For accountability courts, the team delivered several enhancements to support participant management, treatment programs, drug testing, and financial oversight, including: 

  • A new centralized Staffing Report Hub and enhanced staffing report printing and filtering capabilities to better support review hearings and staff preparation.
  • Improved participant and program management with enhanced incentives and sanctions tracking, simplified treatment and program plan administration, reusable templates, medical and medication tracking, insurance and benefit information, and expanded participant profile details.
  • New restitution management capabilities, including victim tracking, restitution summaries, transaction management, and proof-of-payment delivery.
  • Enhanced court administration through expanded role-based permissions, read-only case protections, improved controls for judge and clinical notes, and new drug testing and laboratory integration capabilities.
  • Official MVP Kickoff. Roughly 45 accountability court staff from all different roles in the three MVP circuits, Appalachian, Northeastern, and Bell-Forsyth, kicked off User-Acceptance Testing and Training. User-acceptance testing allows staff to have hands-on experience with Gavel where they will be assigned exercises to complete in the system that mirror common, everyday accountability court workflows. This opportunity allows for timely feedback on system functionality and hands-on applied exercises to learn how the system works. Feedback shared will be used for system and functionality improvements and to inform training and technical assistance. 
  • Gavel Onboarding Activities. Commencing July 2026, we will begin rolling out Gavel onboarding activities for all accountability courts.  These activities will require active participation from court administration and staff to provide certain necessary information for us, as well as training attendance and other relevant activities. We will be sending out additional communications over the coming weeks to ensure that your court understands its requirements for this transition. A successful transition will require the collaboration of multiple partners and your staff, and we are committed to making sure you are well-informed along the way. 
  • CACJ Annual Training Conference. We look forward to seeing many of you in Athens, September 13 – 16, 2026, where we will provide the opportunity for court staff to see Gavel live, learn more information about new features, and ask questions about your court’s participation in this transition. Make sure you register (open now!) for the following session to get an in-depth look at Gavel:

    • D09 - A Call to Order: The Transition to Georgia’s Accountability Courts’ New Case Management System (Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at 1:30 PM - 2:45 PM)

      This session will provide an overview of the evolution of data collection practices within Georgia’s accountability courts and the long-term efforts to support sustainability through statewide technology initiatives. Participants will see an overview of the development and foundational functions of the new unified case management system (CMS), including the collaborative work that informed its design and implementation. The session will highlight the benefits of a centralized CMS, discuss the transition and go-live timeline for accountability courts statewide, and explore the long-term vision for future enhancements and system growth. Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask questions, share feedback, and contribute ideas for continued improvement of the system.

  • This session will repeat on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at 3:15 PM – 4:30 PM

Gavel Transition Communication – Accountability Courts

June 26, 2026 (sent via email on by Taylor Jones, CACJ Executive Director)

As previously communicated, all accountability courts will be transitioning away from CaseWorX and Connexis Cloud to Gavel, the State’s new case management system, by July 1, 2027. Since legacy system access will be discontinued at that time, we are working to transition all accountability courts by the end of the year (2026) to allow for a system enhancement period, additional training, and data integrity assurance. 

We have been working closely with fourteen courts across three circuits, Appalachian, Northeastern, and Bell-Forsyth, to ensure the new system is being built and designed to meet the unique needs of our accountability courts and the important work you do every day. Exciting, new features include greater visibility into program participants’ progress, single location data entry that matches existing program workflow, more accurate data for management of our courts, and more reliable reporting, better illustration of behavioral modification system structure, integrated drug testing, among other unique features and functionalities.

CACJ Announces Adoption of New Case Management System for Georgia’s Accountability Courts

March 30, 2026 (email sent by Taylor Jones, CACJ Executive Director)

Email sent on behalf of Presiding Judge Thomas L. Cole, FY2026 CACJ Executive Committee Chair:

Good afternoon, 

This message is sent on behalf of Presiding Judge Thomas L. Cole, CACJ Executive Committee Chair:

Attached is an important message regarding the implementation of a new case management system for Georgia’s accountability courts. Please take a moment to review it. As Chair of the CACJ Executive Committee (EC), I am pleased to announce the adoption of the new CMS, as approved by the EC. This system will formally replace CaseWorX and Connexis beginning in FY 2028 (July 1, 2027).

CACJ’s Data and Research Committee deserves recognition for its leadership on this initiative, as does Ms. Rachel Gage, CACJ’s Director of Data and Research. Her dedication to advancing data‑driven policies and practices within CACJ is exceptional.

Thank you for your continued service to Georgia’s accountability courts.

CACJ CMS Announcement  (PDF, 192.84 KB)