NCJ Number
85024
Journal
Information and Records Management Dated: (June 1982) Pages: 32-36
Date Published
1982
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The automated court record system, installed in 1981 at the Maricopa County Superior Court (Arizona), has improved efficiency in managing the court's large, active caseload.
Abstract
In 1981, the clerk of the court processed 74,019 cases for a court which serves one of the fastest growing cities in the country, Phoenix, Ariz. In response to this rapidly expanding caseload, a court record management system designed to retrieve and refile cases automatically, reduce time to update files, and provide case file information faster was installed. The new system consists of 3 Access System M automated document storage and retrieval units linked online to a minicomputer and 10 terminals. In addition, old updatable microfiche records are now combined with the retrieval system. The system will pay for itself in approximately 5 years. During the first year of successful operation, nine personnel positions were eliminated. When a new case is filed, the information is input into the county's mainframe computer and by the end of the day, case data (number, type, file date, names of parties, judgment, and decree notation) are transferred to magnetic tape and into the minicomputer. Case requests can now be filled in seconds, misfiling has been eliminated, and inactive files can be automatically purged by the computer. Five photographs are provided.