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The Clerk of the Circuit Court for Polk County, Florida took a bold step toward having a paperless courthouse by implementing a new court system that automates filing, indexing and searching for documents.
Imagine a courthouse without paper, file folders or filing cabinets. Richard M. Weiss, Clerk of the Circuit Court for Polk County, Florida, has brought that goal one step closer to reality with a new computer system at the Polk County Courthouse. Using cutting-edge technology, Weiss and his staff have worked closely with NewVision Systems Corporation to develop and implement a comprehensive automated redesign of court records processing.
Initially the new system will be used for all circuit civil matters (cases involving more than $15,000) and all family and domestic violence cases-a total of approximately 16,000 cases per year. Weiss, who has been Clerk since 1997, expects to add county civil and small claims cases to the system early in 2002, saying, "We are embarking on an extraordinary mission to bring the best in technology and efficiency to the citizens of Polk County."
The Clerk's staff using the new system will electronically scan documents submitted for filing with the court. The paper documents are stored offsite, with the scanned images available on the computer for case number assignment, docketing and viewing. Judges will no longer use paper files, as all documents will be accessible in their offices, hearing rooms and courtrooms via workstations. Customers will have instant access to case files through public view terminals located in the Clerk's offices in Bartow, Lakeland and Winter Haven. Index data for all cases in the system will be available on the Internet at the Clerk's website at:
www.polk-county.net/clerk/clerk.html
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