A year ago, we were scared. We were stressed. We didn’t know how we would keep moving forward. We didn’t know how to keep our community safe while still serving their judicial needs.

A year ago, we stepped up. We innovated. We experimented. We gave ourselves the grace and the space to try something new, and it worked. Not every time, not every case, but we kept our community safe, and we kept serving them to the best of our abilities.

Let’s look at the top ways courts are increasing access to justice in their communities in lasting ways:

• Online public access. Many courts already had eServices in place but weren’t using them as fully as they could be. With the pandemic pivot, participants in the justice process are now able to go online to schedule a hearing, look at their case details, file documents, and more. These secure portals can be configured by courts to ensure everyone can access exactly what they need and nothing they don’t.
• Conducting court business online. From connecting to court hearings remotely to disputing their case online, some justice participants can conduct their business with the court fully online. This is where the court component model becomes incredibly valuable – even if your case management system doesn’t have these features, the best CMSs are working with expert partners that can integrate seamlessly with your existing system and court processes.
• Increased access to services. Bringing courts online means greater access to essential services like court reporters and interpreters. At a recent IJIS mini-summit, David Slayton, Court Administrator for the State of Texas, noted that Texas has seen an 80% increase in the use of interpreters because of increased access through technology.
• Easy access for justice partners. Our online world makes it easier for everyone involved in the justice process to stay up-to-date, even when changes are happening in real-time. Everyone, from prosecutors to custody professionals to supervision partners, can securely log in to interact with the court.

A year later, we’re choosing to focus on the positive, and we’re choosing to celebrate the innovation and determination that kept courts moving forward – safely – and fundamentally changed our courts for the better.

Wherever you were a year ago, wherever you are now, we’re here to support you. From comprehensive case management to eServices to componentized partner solutions, we can help. Give us a call today.