process will save judges, sheriffs, clerks, and attorneys' time and money.

Transcription

1 Impr oving Legal Logistics Court systems across the U.S. use paper-based workflows for signing documents such as Orders, motions, Warrants, TRO etc. Allowing the judges, Court staff and attorney's to electronically signing these documents will gradually eliminate the reliance on paper-based workflows and improve courtroom logistics. Electronic signatures allow court officials to legally sign and send court orders, anywhere within a single state, with a single click. The process will save judges, sheriffs, clerks, and attorneys' time and money.

2 Current Issues with Physical Signatures Most court systems in the United States still use paper-based workflows. Choosing to continue using this work process increases the pressure on judges, court clerks, and staff by decreasing efficiency and requiring additional work. Judges, for example, are required to sign a large amount of documentation for each case they hear. Physically signing each of these documents with a wet or ink signature can be a hassle. Receiving a faxed order, signing the document, and faxing it back can take a substantial amount of time. As a result, judges lose work hours that could be spent hearing additional cases. In many cases, court officials are forced to sign and fax documents from home, after working hours. In an example from one court, a clerk had to drive out to a judge's house with a physical copy of the document for him to sign because he did not have a fax machine at home. While this is an extreme example, the process of using physical signatures and fax machines to process court orders is both time consuming and inefficient. The workflow associated with all court processes can delay information being delivered for vital cases. This causes problems not only for judges and clerks, but also for administrators, looking to improve circuit court logistics. It can take days or weeks for all the parties to sign a document if judges must move between courthouses in different counties. For certain forms that must be signed by certain deadlines, this process puts added stress on the judges and costs the court system time and money. 1

3 Order to Release Form Workflow As an example of a typical workflow, an Order to Release form (OR) requires the signature of the court clerk, the presiding judge, and the sheriff. The below diagram illustrates the issues with faxing signed documents. The boxes with pen pictures next to them indicate points at which an e-signature could be used to streamline the process. Case finishes, Order to Release given by assigned judge County Clerk s office receives notice from judge s office Clerk tries refaxing or: Generates new OR form. Clerk signs document and stamps/watermarks Judge doesn t receive signed form, other problems with delivery Clerk faxes the signed document to Judge s court office or home Judge s signature is not clear on fax form, judge never faxes back, other problems signing Judge signs OR form and faxes back. Clerk refaxes judge's signed document. Judge's signature is accepted Sheriff doesn't receive form. Clerk faxes OR form signed by judge and clerk to Sheriff's Office Sheriff refaxes signed form. Clerk doesn't receive signed document. Sheriff signs Sheriff faxes the signed form back to clerk s office for archive Sheriff Signature is not clear on the fax form. Sheriff s signature and judges are clear, inmate is processed. This scenario can be applied to any similar court order form that requires court officials or attorneys' signatures. 2

4 Cloud Technology and Electronic Signatures Electronic signature technology operates through a secure web interface to allow for easy signing and processing of court documents from anywhere. Document exchange, storage, and signing technology, integrated with a court's existing internal network, can be a powerful tool to harness optimal security and efficiency. In addition to providing the standard login and password gateway to access the network, 256 bit encryption ensures that the document is transmitted and stored with the highest possible level of security. The following diagram illustrates how cloud technology with encryption makes storing, signing, or transmitting court order forms easy and secure: OR Dept Submits work-ups and Order Judge reviews work-ups Court Cloud SF Superior Court Digital Signature Server Orders Data base Judge digitally signs OR Release Order Independent Certificate and Security Key Servers Used to validate and certify User Court User Query Only Sheriff Retrieves OR Release Order and Releases Defendant The cloud allows all three parties to sign and approve the document simultaneously and at their convenience. If the document needs to be referenced, it can be easily and securely retrieved from the court's database. This eliminates the court's physical document storage and streamlines both the signing and filing process. 3

5 Conclusion E-Signature statutes have been adopted by legislatures across every single state in compliance with federal standards, but not all counties have implemented electronic signature systems. Implementing e-signature systems can improve courtroom logistics by: Reducing paperwork clutter Eliminating time wasted in the faxing process Allowing judges to sign from any location, including pcs, mobile phones, and tablets Allowing judges to sign, send, and organize court order forms efficiently Allowing judges to sign, send, receive, and organize the order forms in real-time with the use of cloud technology. The incorporation of a well-organized electronic signature system can provide these benefits. TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT Dr. Mohammed Shaikh mohammed@imagexx.com (805) OR LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR OTHER SOLUTIONS AT 4 IMAGE-X Enterprises, Inc.