E-filing has been a welcome and relatively easily implemented improvement in the way trial courts do business. It makes us more accessible to the public and it allows us substantial efficiencies in work flow and processing. Chief Justice Loretta Rush was correct when she noted in her 2015 State of The Judiciary Address that “e-filing would transform the way Hoosiers interact with the courts.” I would add that e-fi … [Read more...] about Additional Thoughts and Observations on E-Filing
Columns
The Dropout Problem: Part 2
What is behind it and what judges can do about it In Part 1 of this article in the September/October issue of Court Times, we considered research on the high victim attrition rate in criminal domestic violence cases, as well as some laws that judges can use to help ensure the integrity of the proceedings. In Part 2, we consider the civil court analogue to this predicament: petitioners who file and then dismiss … [Read more...] about The Dropout Problem: Part 2
Yes Virginia, Judges can be Santa Claus
Dear Ms. Meiring, With the holiday season approaching, Charity Y would like to know whether it is ethically permissible for our local judge to dress up like Santa Claus and pass out donated presents to the less fortunate kids in the community at our annual holiday party. Sincerely, Virginia, Director of Charity Y Ah, the holidays - ‘tis the season for charitable giving and activities. As prominent members of the l … [Read more...] about Yes Virginia, Judges can be Santa Claus
Odyssey Court Measures
In 2013, Grant County Courts, Law Enforcement, and Correctional Services approached the Division of State Court Administration’s (Division) Court Technology office with a grant proposal to fund a system-wide “dashboard” to monitor outcomes and improve efficiency across the entire criminal justice system in Grant County. Their idea was to centralize information from the computer systems in use at the jail, courts, and … [Read more...] about Odyssey Court Measures
INcite Applications Update
The Supreme Court is proud to have a single environment for hosting its web-based applications—Indiana Courts Information Technology Extranet (INcite). The Jan/Feb 2011 “INcite a Framework for Innovation” Indiana Court Times article compared the applications in INcite to houses in a planned community with rules about paint color, building materials, and mailbox height. Since 2011, the community has continued to grow. … [Read more...] about INcite Applications Update