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Dallas County Judges Want Paper Documents Back
November 22, 2010
In a stand-off of sorts, several judges in Dallas County, Texas, are irritated over missing court documents after the Dallas County courts switched to a paperless system. They are demanding that they be allowed to switch back to paper.
"We're entitled to the paper documents and that's what I want," said State District Judge Don Adams, presiding judge of the felony criminal courts.
Several judges are complaining of delays when documents can't be found during court proceedings. The judges say Dallas County District Clerk Gary Fitzsimmons must allow them to use original paper records.
But Fitzsimmons, who implemented the switch to digital files, said that going back to paper would be costly and that missing electronic documents can quickly be found and scanned.
"I understand that some members of the judiciary are unhappy with losing their paper records. However, judges, attorneys and litigants have all adjusted to the paperless digital court environment in the federal system and in the counties of Travis, Bexar and Harris," Fitzsimmons said. "The transition to that environment was not painless, but real change never is. The taxpayer demands county government which is efficient and cost effective."
Fitzsimmons added that there are actually fewer errors in the electronic records than in their paper counterparts.
The situation highlights how frustrated end users can be when they don’t have a successful experience in retrieving information from an electronic system. Though the judges say they understand the benefits of electronic records, they have stated a strong preference for using paper while the cases are active.
As Fitzsimmons stated, there is always a certain level of pain when real change is being introduced. To achieve successful implementations and to prevent a retreat back to a paper world, it is important to manage the change process itself. Here are some tips for preparing an organization for technological change:
- Learn how people use records for their work, including which parts of the record are most important during the process.
- Understand how quickly the information must be retrieved to facilitate the business process.
- Conduct a pilot, or trial, of the system in order to demonstrate that the new technology will be just as useful – if not more useful – as the paper records.
- Understand that getting users comfortable with new technology requires more than a simple training session at the end of the implementation. Whenever possible, involve the users in planning the system and identifying functional requirements.
Diane Carlisle, CRM
NewsWire
