Technology is playing an ever-increasing role in how courts do business. Opportunities abound for courts to achieve major benefits through technology-enabled court process reengineering. New technology does not change the business of the courts, but merely changes the way courts do business. It results
The ultimate effect of technology in the courts is greater and better service at relatively less cost to taxpayers.
in vastly improved delivery of a trial court's core processes: getting cases to "at-issue" status, adjudication-remedy creation, enforcement, and service. Both the Trial Court Services division and Judicial Information Systems form a team to deliver the administrative and technical guidance for implementing new technology through several means: strategic planning, a technology implementation committee, and sets of tools (referred to as tool kits) to most effectively achieve the goals of technology.
Proposed Policy and Procedure
The State Court Administrative Office and the Technology Implementation Committee will be developing and proposing policy and procedure relevant to the effective and efficient statewide implementation of technology. Links to these proposals will be included on this site, along with a brief summary, to aid the trial courts in keeping informed about the initiatives so that they can comment and respond accordingly. Proposals for electronic-filing court rules and standards are being developed now.
House Bill 4064 was introduced recently to amend certain statutes that regulate the retention period and the manner in which records are to be maintained. The amendments will provide the legal framework for digital records.
The State Court Administrative Office is dedicated to assisting courts in using technology to improve access, efficiency, and the quality of justice in Michigan courts. A statewide plan is in place to guide the office in promulgating court rules, standards, guidelines, and various tools for implementing e-filing, e-service, electronic transmission, electronic document management, and electronic access to court records.
The Technology Implementation Committee is an advisory committee established to help implement the technology initiatives of the State Court Administrative Office.
Technology Tool Kits
Technology tool kits will be developed as part of the technology implementation plan. These tool kits will provide court's with a single point of reference for information on the types of court technology and will include the legal framework for the technology; links to standards and guidelines, procedural rules and statutes, and best practices; information on implementation plans and issues; and contacts and resources, such as courts who are currently using the technology and available vendors. The Technology Implementation Committee is assisting in this endeavor. There will be tool kits for e-filing, electronic document management and digital imaging, courtroom technology such as digital video and audio recording and interactive video technology, social media, and website design. Look for these resources in 2014.
Interim Resources
The following resources are available for video conferencing: