After three years of tackling a historic court backlog, Project ORCA has officially wrapped up, marking a major victory for Fulton County’s justice system. The initiative, launched in December 2021 with $81 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, successfully cleared nearly 140,000 cases that had piled up due to COVID-19. Today, fewer than 10,000 cases remain. We are on track to eliminate the backlog entirely within months.
In addition to expediting justice, Project ORCA helped reduce the population at Fulton County Jail and cut the average length of stay for detainees. The project also created jobs, with 290 temporary workers transitioning into full-time county positions, while another 238 moved on from county employment.
With the backlog nearly gone, we are now focused on long-term solutions to prevent delays and keep jail numbers down. Key initiatives include a new Diversion Center to provide alternatives to incarceration, subsidized ankle monitors for eligible individuals, enhancements to Accountability Courts to address underlying issues and major investment—up to $300 million—in jail renovations.
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