MinnLawyer Blog

Any lawyers out there who are still afraid of electronic document systems, take note: The Judicial Council is moving the court toward a paperless system.  The  eCourtMN strategic initiative is a multi-year transition to an electronic environment that, among other innovations, includes digital imaging of past case files and electronic filing (e-filing) of new cases.

The first phase of the initiative calls for 10 courts to be selected as pilot sites. Over the past year the Second Judicial District Court (Ramsey County) and the Fourth Judicial District Court (Hennepin County) have been operating a pilot project that allows for the voluntary e-filing of civil cases, and Dakota County District Court has been operating a pilot project to convert paper case files to digital images.

The scope of the initiative includes the following components:

•eFiling (including eCitations and eCharging)

•Electronic document management, including document imaging

•SessionWorks for judges (a touch screen desktop tool for judges to view case records)

•Electronic transmission of cases to the appellate courts

•eTools (eSignature, eNoticing, eCertification, and other tools that allow for electronic processing of orders)

The project will be overseen by Court Administrator Sue Dosal. “The eCourtMN initiative will be the most comprehensive reengineering effort yet undertaken by the Minnesota Judicial Branch,” she said.

.“Our past successes like the creation of the Minnesota Case Information System (MNCIS) and the Minnesota Court Payment Center (CPC) demonstrate that we are up to this new task,” Dosal said.  The Council directed Dosal to return in six months with a progress report.