The Minnesota Judicial Branch has initiated major change in its use of technology. Through the Minnesota Court Information System (MNCIS) and other projects, the courts are operating more efficiently and tracking more reliable and up-to-date data. This will lead to improved policy evaluations and a greater ability to respond to public requests. These improvements will give judges and court staff the information they need to protect public safety and provide system accountability.
When the current Judicial Branch automated case management system was built, Jimmy Carter had just completed his presidency and the Court of Appeals did not yet exist. Times have changed and our computer system cannot keep up. It is out-of-date, poorly integrated and difficult to use. According to a recent Legislative Auditor’s report, about 62 percent of chronic offenders are convicted in multiple counties. However, “information on criminal activity is scattered among several databases, making it difficult to compile a complete criminal history of each offender.”
In 2003, the Judicial Branch began to implement the Minnesota Court Information System (MNCIS), which will link court records across the state and significantly improve the collection, storage, tracking and sharing of court information.
Early in 2003, Carver County District Court put MNCIS to use for the first time and tested critical links with CriMNet. MNCIS will serve as the anchor tenant of the state’s new CriMNet integrated criminal justice information project. The technology was later introduced in Hennepin County Probate Court (December 2003) and Blue Earth County District Court (January 2004). Meanwhile, court technology teams prepared to introduce MNCIS in additional counties in 2004. By the end of fiscal year 2006, all 87 counties in the state will use the system to link court records.
Hennepin County District Court now allows defendants with traffic and criminal citations to access information about the citation and pay fines by phone or online at www2.co.hennepin.mn.us/evibes/. The change streamlines payment processing, allows the public to more easily pay citations, avoids mailing delays that can result in late fees and frees up staff time to complete other court-related work.
The district courts in Stearns and Washington counties have joined courts in Olmsted, St. Louis, Hennepin and other counties in posting court calendars on the Internet. The move increases public access to court calendars and helps alleviate scheduling conflicts and confusion. Stearns County District Court calendars can be found at www.courts. state.mn.us/districts/seventh/ct_calendars.htm. Washington County District Court calendars are available at www.courts.state.mn.us/districts/tenth/.