The South Carolina Judicial Department continues the successful deployment of the statewide court case management system with the completion of the go-live implementation in the Union County Circuit and Magistrate Courts.

The court case management system collects and manages the case information that is the basis for all the court operations. Union County joins 39 other counties on this statewide system.

This system is a cornerstone of Chief Justice Toal’s modernization vision for the South Carolina Courts. Since 2000, Toal has been incorporating technology into the everyday operations of the courts to improve efficiencies and court services through five fundamental technology initiatives:

1. Reliable, high-speed Internet connectivity to all judicial facilities.

2. Statewide case management.

3. Web portal.

4. Call Center.

5. Document Management.

“The extensive collaboration between Union County and the Judicial Department has successfully implemented technology into the local courts to better serve the citizens and judicial personnel of Union County,” Toal said. “This system provides consistency within the court operations and enables court information to be electronically available across the Circuit and Magistrate court within the county.”

It is estimated the Judicial Department has spent nearly $486,000 on network infrastructure, computer equipment, software and services in Union County in 2010.

Among many of the features and benefits of the system are online court case records search referred to as the public index, online court rosters and online payments.

Now anyone can view court information or pay their traffic ticket from their PC or laptop via the Internet through the Judicial Department Web site at www.sccourts.org.

Therefore, the public, attorneys and landlords will have access to court case information without having to visit or call the county courthouse.

Union County Clerk of Court Freddie Gault, Chief Magistrate Jimmy Crocker, Supervisor Tommy Sinclair, Solicitor Kevin Brackett and their staffs have provided the local leadership with this project since its inception.

Commitment and collaboration between these local officials and the South Carolina Judicial Department combined with enthusiasm and expertise have successfully given the courts in Union County a new system for today and the future.