Fair warning. . .this blog will not answer the question, but just organize some thoughts as to where we are right now. We are a common pleas court system with two common pleas judges, a juvenile/probate judge, a domestic relations magistrate, and two juvenile magistrates. We service a population of approximately 70,000 although 20,000 of those are students who are predominately present during the school year.
We currently use CourtView. Being somewhat technology savvy, I've picked up how to use it. But I'm also savvy enough to know I am not using it to its full potential. I also know I don't like programs that you have to open a secondary software reader to read what you are pulling up from the main database CourtView utilizes.
In looking at possible upgrades to our data collection and storage, I know that people have different opinions as to what is important. But it is clear what the most important feature is. . . .ease of use. Ease of use translates to less stress using the software, less stress switching over, less stress recalling information in a new format, less stress finding information, less stress in correcting information, and perhaps most important - less time training to use the new software.
Then you are looking at different software systems that accomplish different things. I'll try to set them forth here...
Case Management - Allows user to enter, maintain and retrieve case information including financial information (payment on fines, bonds). So these are the systems that will give you your docket sheets, tell you what a person's current bond is, what fine they owe, what payments have been made. They also allow you to recall the filed pleadings in the case.
Caseflow Management - Allows users quick access to day to day schedules of hearings and information in a "Dashboard" format. The most useful I have seen are systems that provide access through touchscreens so data can be called up by touch and keyboard input.
Electronic Filing (E-Filing) - Another part of the system that allows attorneys to file documents electronically. This is usually separate from the other two items discussed above. However, it seems that if a system allows e-filing, the software should be putting it in a format that it can be used by the Case Management System and the Caseflow Management. Here's an more in depth breakdown per Wikipedia www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Filing_System
Considerations:
1) Data Transfer/Compatibility - transfer of information from an existing system to the new system. Case Management people can do this for you as part of the cost of a new system (I hear).
2) Cost - staggering costs to keep pace with technology. Probably not as much of a problem with metropolitan areas as rural areas as the revenue needed for this is usually court revenue driven. Smaller jurisdiction simply don't have the financial resources to change systems to keep pace. I think the gap is widening as time goes on leaving smaller jurisdictions behind.
3) Long term storage - remember the old big books used in the recorders office that may be 100 years old. They've held up pretty good right. Well digital technology is not infallible. Discounting hacking, just long term storage degrades as we learned at the last court tech conference. even those CD's that have been sitting on the shelves for years may only have a good 10-20 year shelf life. And you better make sure your old technology is comparable with your new. How many of us have floppies or magnetic tapes used to store information. Have you transferred that over yet to new technology?
BTW - magnetic cassette tapes have been created by SONY that store ridiculous amounts of data upwards of 185 TB. That's Terabytes Folks!
Just some random thoughts . . .. More to follow. . .
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