Share:
Font Size:

(Wayne County, MI) - In a collaborative effort, Wayne County Clerk, Cathy M. Garrett, worked closely with Virgil Smith, Chief Judge of the Wayne County Circuit Court, to deliver on her promise of offering enhanced services to the Third Judicial Circuit Court.

The soon-to-be implemented system will allow the Third Judicial Circuit Court to maximize its resources by enabling attorneys within Wayne County to submit filings electronically in nearly any format, 24 hours a day, and from virtually any PC with internet access. The system is expected to go LIVE this November 7, 2011, as only contract cases (CK) will be mandatory for e-filing.

The system's prowess will ensure that court services are efficiently streamlined, and it will also cut down on the extraneous time and waste associated with solely keeping paper-based records. Additionally, the e-filing system will not cost taxpayers a single dime because it will pay for itself through nominal user-fees.

"This innovative system will save lawyers' time, which can instead be devoted towards client casework. Through this new tool, we're also making it easier for Wayne County's legal community to do its job more efficiently," explained Clerk Garrett.

The U.S. federal court system adopted electronic case management back in 2002, allowing attorneys to file pleadings, motions, and petitions via the internet. And in a 2001 report conducted by Sensei Enterprises, it was noted that "over 10,000 lawyers have registered with the federal system," amounting in the e-filing of "more than 1.2 million documents."

"As the Clerk of the largest Circuit Court in the State of Michigan, my plan is to implement creative methods to process the great number of new cases and motions filed each year with precision," stated Clerk Garrett.

The Wayne County Clerk's office currently provides court services for three areas of the Third Judicial Circuit Court, including civil, criminal, and family (and juvenile) cases.

XXX