SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- On Thursday, Circuit Judge Dan Conklin made history in the Greene County
Courts as the first court in the 31st Judicial Circuit to hear a case without using a paper file.
Last year, the Greene County Courts adopted a policy to have all documents of certain case types scanned and retained as electronic files for court usage in 2012. As the courts progress in this document retention process, they will add additional case types until all are records are kept electronically. This is commonly referred to as being paperless, however Bailiff Rick McCrea’s description of being “file-less” is more apt at this time.
“One day, as the Courts adopt more electronic processes, such as electronic signatures and eventually the State’s e-filing system, we could eliminate paper documents altogether," said Circuit Clerk Steve Helms.
The state’s e-filing system is in the testing phase, with the Missouri Supreme Court and St. Charles Circuit Court being the pilot courts on this project.
Electronic document storage will benefit the public by making court records more accessible. This might also help elevate some of the parking issues that have been associated with a lack of parking spaces at the judicial facilities. Electronic storage and access is, however, tempered by privacy concerns and the confidential nature of some cases.
