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Northwest Reading |
A guest opinion from former Idaho Supreme Court Justice (and former chief justice) Linda Copple Trout.
From Amazon to Google, Apple to Microsoft, 21st Century business is driven by technology, the Internet and constant and necessary improvements in efficiency and productivity. Idaho’s court system must also perform at the highest levels and in the same modern information technology environment.
Idaho courts have long taken pride in staying abreast of the needs of a 21st Century economy and we have reached a critical point where technology investments must be made if we hope to ensure that the thousands of cases that come to Idaho’s courts annually are resolved fairly, timely, and efficiently.
Idaho’s courts will be asking the coming session of the state legislature to invest in a well-planned, comprehensive approach to updating the judicial branch’s critical technology infrastructure. It’s not inexpensive, but it is essential and we have developed a range of options to fund the necessary upgrades that we believe will allow the legislature and governor to meet the need.
In truth, the court’s existing technology infrastructure has reached what the experts call “the end of life.” The software that supports the court’s statewide ISTARS system, in place for 25 years, is obsolete and licenses are no longer renewable. Realizing that we must face these technology challenges if Idaho’s courts are to continue to meet the Constitutional mandate to resolve cases without delay, the Supreme Court established a technology committee to evaluate options.
After months of work and consultation the committee is recommending a modern 24/7 web-based case management system for Idaho that will benefit every aspect of private commerce and public business in the state, and will join all of Idaho’s 44 counties into one cohesive system. By taking advantage of significant advances in technology generally, and in court technology specifically, the new system will generate across the board cost savings, while enhancing productivity and efficiency. (more…)