We're all back at work at the NCSC and want to first wish everyone a good and productive 2012.
Over the break we heard of several services offered by the Postal Service in Switzerland that would be extremely useful to the US Courts.
The first service is called IncaMail (PDF document link) that provides secure encrypted e-mail. An interesting aspect is that "during the initial (first time) registration, both the e-mail address and the physical address of the user are verified by sending an activation code."
A second technology service is called SwissStick. It is a USB device that is a digital key for signing encrypting documents and e-mail.
And last, and I think most interesting, Swiss Post provides document scanning services that "sends letters to screens".
All of us in court automation have struggled with bridging the gap between those with and those without automation. It is also difficult in many locations for persons to travel to courthouses while a post office may be in walking distance. And it is difficult to confirm identity and collect court fees. And digitization of evidentiary documents is another barrier for many. Therefore, a slightly modified approach to the scanning services offered by Swiss Post could help to bridge the technology gap and extend "E-filing" to those without computers or Internet access.
Thoughts?
You might think, 230 years into our history as a nation, that the
ReplyDeletecourts would long ago have decided such a basic issue as this one: can
you sue the post office if you slip and fall on mail left on your
front porch? But that question wasn't finally answered until today,
when the U.S. Supreme Court said, yes, you can.
Interesting note but since this is a tech blog.. won't it be better for the USPS to help society move along in their communications capabilities?
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