1 January 1999
Protection for Domestic Violence Victims via the Internet
Domestic violence victims who have sought refuge in Jackson County’s domestic violence shelters now find more protection from a source they could never before access from within the shelter: the courts. Victims can now seek orders of protection from the Jackson County Court without venturing to the courthouse--by filing for protection orders from computers located at the shelter.
The project gives electronic filers at least three huge benefits. “The risk of traveling to the courthouse, the burden of finding transportation, and the hassles of arranging child care are eliminated,” said Jackson County Circuit Court Presiding Judge Edith Messina.
With the help of a shelter advocate, victims complete and file forms from the shelter. They enter their information into the system only once, and the program converts the information electronically to the various forms required for protection orders. Then, the forms are sent from the shelter’s computer to the Jackson County Circuit Court via the Court’s Internet website, to be filed with the Court. The Court will then process the forms, create an order of protection and electronically transfer the ex parte order of protection to the shelter.
“This new electronic filing system not only provides the victim with an added measure of protection, it makes the process shorter and less cumbersome,” said Cindy Cook, Jackson County’s assistant legal counsel for adult abuse, who served as a user representative in developing the system.
“The success of this project demonstrates the practical benefits of statewide court automation,” said Supreme Court Chief Justice Duane Benton. “I applaud the efforts of Jackson County and those who made the system possible.”
This project for electronic filing of protection orders in Jackson County was funded by a federal grant from the Department of Public Safety and developed by the Office of the State Courts Administrator in conjunction with Jackson County’s Court and shelters.
Jackson County has also lead the way in other aspects of statewide court automation. Jackson County has served as a pilot site for a statewide case management system; debuted public, Internet access to its Probate Division’s case information; and was selected as a pilot site for future electronic filing plans.
Further Information: Ellen Crawford, Public Information Officer (816) 881-3552.
The project gives electronic filers at least three huge benefits. “The risk of traveling to the courthouse, the burden of finding transportation, and the hassles of arranging child care are eliminated,” said Jackson County Circuit Court Presiding Judge Edith Messina.
With the help of a shelter advocate, victims complete and file forms from the shelter. They enter their information into the system only once, and the program converts the information electronically to the various forms required for protection orders. Then, the forms are sent from the shelter’s computer to the Jackson County Circuit Court via the Court’s Internet website, to be filed with the Court. The Court will then process the forms, create an order of protection and electronically transfer the ex parte order of protection to the shelter.
“This new electronic filing system not only provides the victim with an added measure of protection, it makes the process shorter and less cumbersome,” said Cindy Cook, Jackson County’s assistant legal counsel for adult abuse, who served as a user representative in developing the system.
“The success of this project demonstrates the practical benefits of statewide court automation,” said Supreme Court Chief Justice Duane Benton. “I applaud the efforts of Jackson County and those who made the system possible.”
This project for electronic filing of protection orders in Jackson County was funded by a federal grant from the Department of Public Safety and developed by the Office of the State Courts Administrator in conjunction with Jackson County’s Court and shelters.
Jackson County has also lead the way in other aspects of statewide court automation. Jackson County has served as a pilot site for a statewide case management system; debuted public, Internet access to its Probate Division’s case information; and was selected as a pilot site for future electronic filing plans.
Further Information: Ellen Crawford, Public Information Officer (816) 881-3552.