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When courts focus on improvements inherent with CMS implementation, it redirects the focus of cost constraints, according to Robert Wilson, president of Syscon, Inc. “Currently the primary obstacle to courts implementing a case management system are the financial challenges faced by many cities and counties. However, if one considers the staff time saved by a system, the improvement in collections of fines and fees due to automation, and better—and fairer—decisions by the court due to more accurate and timely information, oftentimes a system can be justified in spite of budget constraints.” Case management options offered by Syscon include the Enterprise version of Court Clerk and Court Clerk Lite, an entry-level version. Court Clerk provides
numerous case management features to streamline court operations including flexible interfaces to outside agencies, biometric user authentication, automated calls, integrated online payments and customized processing. Other than financial, the chaos of change forms another roadblock and the hesitation towards automation goes a step further when complexity is perceived. “Many courts are afraid of solutions that are flexible,” observes Scott Bade, president, ImageSoft, Inc. “They view these solutions as risky or overly complex. The key is to have a configurable solution that does not require custom programming.” ImageSoft offers a configurable CMS that is a module within the OnBase Enterprise Content Management (ECM) product. “With
OnBase you start with a clean slate, and quickly build the data model and user screens to meet the specific needs of the court. The OnBase ECM system provides configurable workflow technology that provides a mechanism to automate processes and routing without custom programming.” Says Bade, “Configurable workflow improves a CMS by offering a mechanism to provide flexibility that is difficult to build into a CMS.” Court mechanisms are one reason courts are hesitant to purchase and/or update CMS, acknowledges Jackie Black, marketer, Courts, State and Local, Thomson Reuters. “Courts for many years have operated in a closed fashion without much collaboration across the nation. Change is never an easy task, and when it comes to how people oper-
April/May 2014x WWW.COURTSTODAY.COM
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