Skip to main content
Bridge Michigan
Michigan’s nonpartisan, nonprofit news source

Unclogging courts by resolving simple cases online

Accessing our courts should be as painless as possible, right?

At first blush, this goal doesn’t seem like it should be too difficult to manage. Once underway, most proceedings to resolve minor cases involving civil infractions or low-level misdemeanors — the majority of the issues our courts process — are surprisingly short and simple. In both formal and informal settings, what amounts to a minute-long conversation with a judge, prosecutor, city attorney, or court clerk is usually all that is needed for the parties to find a mutually agreeable solution.

So it’s hard to believe that most minor cases require months and a great many resources (both public and private) to resolve. This is the reality in courts across the state and the nation, despite our country’s centuries-long dedication to “speedy” process. In a typical Michigan court, it often takes many weeks for someone to get the necessary minute of a prosecutor’s or judge’s time in a courthouse.

Some percentage of this delay is due to the limited number of minutes available in a day, of course. But the bulk of the delay and difficulty derive from the organizing and arranging of these minute-long meetings. It is far more time-consuming and resource-intensive for today’s courts to get citizens, law enforcement and a judge into the same room to resolve an issue than it is for the parties to resolve the issue once there.

Court processes are what manage the flow of people and information in our courthouses. They include scheduling hearings, organizing files and keeping records. It is these processes — most of which haven’t changed in any serious way in many decades — that inevitably lead to long delays. What’s worse is that government budget cuts along with staff and hour reductions have meant that courts are forced to do more and more with less and less.

With many courts nationwide routinely struggling to keep up with their caseloads, the time is ripe for innovation in court processes. Our courts lead the world in having highly trained and dedicated judges, prosecutors and court personnel who can use their expertise and discretion to make difficult decisions. What we need are court processes that complement and augment their decision making, but that do so in a highly efficient manner – a perfect recipe for technology-based solutions.

> CLICK HERE TO DONATE TODAY!

Implementing reform in any context can be difficult, but changing the judicial system is a particularly daunting task.

The system is complex — with judges, prosecutors, police agencies, local government and the public all playing key roles in the administration of justice. Most courthouses have developed their own processes over many decades, and so there are many small differences in how things are done even from one county to the next. Implementing technological solutions poses additional difficulties.

Yet there can be little doubt that technological innovations in the judicial system will ultimately lead to enormous social gains. Technology — particularly online technology — has the potential to dramatically reduce the social and financial costs of scheduling, information transmission, and court administration more generally.

For instance, creating innovative new methods for citizens to go to court virtually can benefit every participant in the judicial system. Several courts in Michigan are already enabling the remote resolution of common case types. Online case resolution systems allow cases to be resolved without the parties ever needing to set foot in a courthouse — a benefit not only for the parties to the case, but for everyone else who happens to be in the courthouse that day.

Key to technology-based process improvements are that they do not interfere with a judge’s or a prosecutor’s discretion or control over a case; indeed, these process improvements are likely to enhance their decision making in the future by giving them more information and better tools.

Introducing online case resolution to a court undeniably improves efficiency. An average traffic case with the system is resolved in around 7 days, as opposed to the more than 60 days the cases take without the system.

Technology-based process improvements also greatly benefit citizens. For example, citizens can make requests to resolve their legal issues from the comfort of their home, from work during lunch break, or even while standing in line at the grocery store via their smartphone. This flexibility reduces or eliminates waiting time for members of the public who are trying to clear up a case. It means that, at least in many situations, they can access the justice system without taking time off work or needing to find childcare.

Online case resolution systems reduce the chance that a minor offense will escalate, or that a breakdown of communication will cause a citizen to have to pay higher fees and penalties, lose a driver’s license, be issued a warrant, and, too often, get arrested.

In addition to the benefits for the public, online case resolution systems benefit law enforcement agencies. If police aren’t required to go to court and wait for a hearing and can instead — in appropriate cases — be involved virtually at a time of their choosing, they can spend more time engaged in the community.

The goal, of course, is a system that allows parties and judges to come together to resolve a dispute quickly, efficiently, and accurately. Today, it is possible to employ technology—as some courts in Michigan are now doing — to eliminate many of the what are now unnecessary delays and costs that are associated with getting to resolution while at the same time preserving (or enhancing) what’s best about our system.

How impactful was this article for you?

Bridge welcomes guest columns from a diverse range of people on issues relating to Michigan and its future. The views and assertions of these writers do not necessarily reflect those of Bridge or The Center for Michigan. Bridge does not endorse any individual guest commentary submission. If you are interested in submitting a guest commentary, please contact David Zeman. Click here for details and submission guidelines.

Only donate if we've informed you about important Michigan issues

See what new members are saying about why they donated to Bridge Michigan:

  • “In order for this information to be accurate and unbiased it must be underwritten by its readers, not by special interests.” - Larry S.
  • “Not many other media sources report on the topics Bridge does.” - Susan B.
  • “Your journalism is outstanding and rare these days.” - Mark S.

If you want to ensure the future of nonpartisan, nonprofit Michigan journalism, please become a member today. You, too, will be asked why you donated and maybe we'll feature your quote next time!

Pay with VISA Pay with MasterCard Pay with American Express Pay with PayPal Donate Now