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ESPOC Pilot Program Fact Sheet

OVW’s Electronic Service Protection Order Court (ESPOC) Pilot Program supports state and Tribal courts’ efforts to develop and implement programs to properly and legally serve protection orders through electronic means.

Specifically, ESPOC Pilot Program funding supports state and Tribal courts to:

  • Develop and implement a program for properly and legally serving protection orders through electronic communication methods to:
    • modernize the service process and make the process more effective and efficient,
    • improve victim safety, and
    • make protection orders enforceable as quickly as possible;
  • Develop best practices related to serving protection orders through electronic communication methods;
  • Ensure that the program complies with due process requirements and other procedures required by law or by a court; and
  • Implement any technology needed to carry out the program, such as technology to verify and track the intended party’s receipt of a protection order.

Eligible applicants to the ESPOC Program are: state or Tribal courts that are part of a multidisciplinary partnership (see below).

Diversity of ESPOC Pilot Program grantees: The Department of Justice, through OVW, is required by 34 U.S.C. § 10462a to award grants under the ESPOC Pilot Program to a variety of eligible entities, including, to the extent practicable:

  1. A state court that serves a population of at least one million individuals;
  2. A state court that:
    1. serves a state among the seven least densely-populated states and
    2. has a relatively low rate of successful protection order service, as determined by the Attorney General;
  3. A state court that:
    1. serves a state among the seven most densely-populated states and
    2. has a relatively low rate of successful protection order service, as determined by the Attorney General;
  4. A court that uses an integrated, statewide case management system;
  5. A court that uses a standalone case management system;
  6. A Tribal court; and
  7. A court that primarily serves a culturally specific and underserved population.

Multidisciplinary Partnerships: As stated above, an eligible ESPOC Pilot Program applicant must be a state or Tribal court that is part of a multidisciplinary partnership that includes, to the extent practicable:

  1. A state, Tribal, or local law enforcement agency;*
  2. A state, Tribal, or local prosecutor's office;
  3. A victim service provider or State or Tribal domestic violence coalition;*
  4. A culturally specific services provider;
  5. A nonprofit program or government agency with demonstrated experience in providing legal assistance or legal advice to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault;
  6. The applicable state or Tribal bar association;
  7. The state or Tribal association of court clerks;
  8. A state, Tribal, or local association of criminal defense attorneys;
  9. At least two individuals with expertise in designing and managing court case management systems and integration systems;*
  10. At least two state or Tribal court judges with experience in:
    1. the domestic violence field and
    2. issuing protection orders; and*
  11. A judge assigned to the state or Tribal court criminal docket.

The * above for 1, 3, 9, and 10 designates a partnership required at the time of application.

Courts applying for ESPOC Pilot Program funds are required to submit Letters of Commitment (LOCs) from the following partners to demonstrate formal partnerships:

  1. A state, Tribal, or local law enforcement agency;
  2. A victim service provider or state or Tribal domestic violence coalition;
    1. A victim service provider is a nonprofit, nongovernmental, or Tribal organization that provides direct services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking as one of their primary purposes and has a demonstrated history of effective work in this field, including a domestic violence shelter, faith-based organization, or other organization.
  3. At least one state or Tribal court judge with expertise in domestic violence and issuing protection orders; and
  4. The department(s) with at least two individuals responsible for purchasing, designing, and/or managing court case management technology and integration infrastructure.

In the first year of the award, ESPOC Pilot Program grantees are required to make substantial efforts to develop or expand partnerships with:

  • A state, Tribal, or local prosecutor’s office;
  • A culturally specific service provider;
  • A nonprofit program or government agency with demonstrated experience in providing legal assistance or legal advice to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault;
  • The state or Tribal bar association;
  • The state or Tribal association of court clerks;
  • A state, Tribal, or local association of criminal defense attorneys;
  • A judge assigned to the state or Tribal court criminal docket; and
  • An additional state or Tribal court judge with expertise in domestic violence and issuing protection orders.

As additional partnerships are established, grantees are required to submit subsequent LOCs to OVW as deliverables in the first year of the award.

Training & Technical Assistance: ESPOC Pilot Program grantees can expect extensive technical assistance to support their efforts to develop and implement their grant-funded projects.

Apply for this grant:

Updated April 28, 2026