Wednesday, June 18, 2014

This and That in Court Technology – June, 2014


Time again for our compilation of news and notes from court tech and related subjects.  News about data dashboards, voice information systems, conference news, a court CCMS project contract, the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales support for court automation, and the future of handwritten signatures.


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Pennsylvania Courts Premier their Data Dashboard

Via Press Release, June 4, 2014
“The financial dashboards are the first in a series of interactive, web-based data dashboards that will allow users to quickly analyze and interpret data related to court cases and court operations. The dashboards will be published on the Unified Judiciary’s website (www.pacourts.us) on June 5 and will display data involving the collection and disbursement of court fines, fees, costs and restitution. 
The Pennsylvania Courts announced the introduction of their new financial dashboard system. This is the first in a series of interactive, web-based data dashboards that will allow users to quickly analyze and interpret data related to court cases and court operations. The dashboards will be published on the Unified Judiciary’s website (www.pacourts.us) starting on June 5, 2014 and will display data involving the collection and disbursement of court fines, fees, costs and restitution.” 
The dashboard also provides information on “child dependency data in Pennsylvania, providing for the first time a comprehensive look as to what is occurring within the state’s child dependent population”.
Check it out at:
http://www.pacourts.us/news-and-statistics/research-and-statistics/dashboard-table-of-contents

Se Habla Español: Voice Case Information System Adds Spanish Response

Via Press Release from the US Federal Courts Third Branch News:
"An interactive voice response system for bankruptcy case information now provides case information to callers in Spanish. 
Developed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts, the Multi-Court Voice Case Information System (McVCIS) is used by 93 of the nation’s 94 bankruptcy courts. 
Last year, more than 2 million callers dialed McVCIS to listen to bankruptcy case information that includes debtors’ names, method of case disposition, bankruptcy chapter, reported assets, case status, discharge date and more. “McVCIS is an important tool for bankruptcy courts,” said Bankruptcy Judge Margaret Mahoney of the Southern District of Alabama. “Our court has several hundred Chapter 13 confirmations per week. To be able to let debtors and creditors obtain basic case information over the telephone with this system allows us to be responsive to the public while saving our clerk’s office many hours.”
Click here to read the full story.

And in other Federal Court News – an audio interview with Judge Thomas Hardiman, chair of the Judicial Conference Committee on Information Technology was posted discussing the subject “Computers to the Cloud, IT in the Federal Courts.

It is available at: http://news.uscourts.gov/topic-computers-cloud-it-federal-courts

NAJIS Conference Scheduled

"The National Association for Justice Information Systems annual conference is scheduled for September 22-25 2014, in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the Radisson Downtown (215 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101) for the 32nd Annual NAJIS Conference! Attendees of the 2014 conference will discover a variety of invaluable materials and resources blended and suited specifically for local, state and federal, criminal justice practitioners. NAJIS conferences are geared to educate and demonstrate best practices for justice information system implementation and business process flow. IT technologies and standards that improve and engineer information sharing are explored in depth. Presentations are fashioned for both technical and non-technical audiences."

Registration is $495 until August 1, 2014. After that, it will be $595.00

Oklahoma Terminates CCMS Contract

According to an Associated Press story posted on June 11, 2014, Oklahoma courts have terminated their contract with American Cadastre (AMCAD) due to funding concerns.  The story notes that:
“A fund created to pay for the project currently contains more than $30 million, and lawmakers grappling with a tight budget this year directed court officials to use $10 million to pay for other court operations. 
In an email to Oklahoma judges this week, Supreme Court Chief Justice Tom Colbert cited the withdrawal of the $10 million as the reason AMCAD's contract was canceled.”
For the full story click here.

Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales Supports a Court Automation Future

In a wide ranging address at the Society for Computers and Law Annual Lecture, the Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales presented his talk: IT for the Courts – Creating a digital future.  In his talk he listed “at least either reasons I can identify for needing modern IT in courts and tribunals:”

In brief he noted:

1. The inefficiency of paper systems
2. Modern business is done online
3. The need for electronic court files
4. The need for a “proper electronic case flow and diary system”
5. The need for data to support continuous improvement in the courts
6. The need for electronic filing
7. The need to replace their outdated IT systems
8. International competition

To view his full address in PDF (very worthwhile) click here.


The End of Signatures? 

And last, the BBC explores the question “Is a signature still useful?” at: http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-27311868


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