Westmoreland County has been selected to test a new statewide computer system that will connect all criminal court systems in Pennsylvania.
The $38 million project is expected to provide a seamless link between all criminal court cases from the district justice level through the appeals court. District justice cases as well as all cases filed in the state's appeals courts are already on a unified computer system.
"We wanted to take a turn in shaping the system for the state. We are probably the best microcosm of what occurs throughout the state," said Westmoreland County Deputy Clerk of Courts Don Heagy.
The state is expected to pick up the cost for the entire project.
The project calls for the creation of a new software system that will allow clerk of courts offices in each county to have instant access to criminal court records from throughout the state.
Heagy said that once online, someone can go to the courthouse in Greensburg and research criminal court records in each of the state's 62 judicial districts.
Currently, once a case reaches the Common Pleas Court level, each county has its own computer system, which is not linked to a statewide data base.
That will change by 2005, according to Art Heinz, communications director for the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.
"There is a hole in the middle, and it's a rather large hole - the Common Pleas Courts. It will provide an efficient system, an access to case information to other counties," Heinz said.
Analysis and design work on the new computer system has been nearly completed. The next step is putting it through its paces.
That's where Westmoreland, Bucks and Cumberland counties come into play as the three counties selected to conduct the pilot project. One county will go online in July 2003, with the two other counties to follow over the next two months.
They will then share court information as the system is tested to work out its rough edges.
Heinz said full statewide implementation is planned for early 2005.
Then the administrative office will turn its attention to civil court, which like the criminal system does not share information on the Common Pleas Court level from county to county.
"Once the criminal phase is completed, our plan is to go to the civil side using the criminal side as a role model," Heinz said.
Cholodofsky is a reporter for the Tribune-Review.
