The Maryland Judiciary has been moving forward with a project that will change the way the state’s courts receive, send and keep forms, filings and case records. Now, the Judiciary is asking for the public’s input on that project, Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC).
MDEC is a single Judiciary-wide integrated electronic case management system that will be used by the courts in the state court system. Courts will collect, store, and process records electronically, and will be able to instantly access complete records as cases travel from District Court to Circuit Court and on to the appellate courts. The new system will ultimately become “paper-on-demand,” that is, paper records will be available when specifically asked for.
The system will be installed county-by-county or in groups of counties starting in Anne Arundel County on or about August 31, 2013.
The Court of Appeals’ Standing Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure (the Rules Committee) is developing rules to accommodate MDEC.
The Court is inviting public comments on five core policy issues and certain of the possible options identified regarding those issues:
1) To what extent should the electronic filing of documents be mandatory?
2) What should be the requirements for a filer’s signature on electronically filed documents?
3) Will the electronic version of electronically filed documents be the official record of such documents?
4) What access should be allowed to the electronic record?
5) What kinds of fees, if any, should be charged for (i) the electronic filing of documents; (ii) the filing of paper documents; (iii) remote access to electronic records; or (iv) general operation and maintenance of the MDEC system?
Comments may include other issues and suggest other options. All comments should be in writing and sent to Sandra F. Haines, Esq., 2011-D Commerce Park Drive, Annapolis, Md., 21401, on or before Sept 21.
The Court of Appeals will hold a public meeting Thursday, Oct. 18, 2 p.m., to consider the written comments. Oral presentations will not be permitted except by invitation of the Court.
Details, including the full listing of the five issues and their various options, are available on the Judiciary’s website, which has the full public notice: https://mdcourts.gov/coappeals/pdfs/publicmeetingmdec.pdf.
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