LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: COURT AUTOMATION SUPPORTED BY MISSOURI BAR

To the Editor:

The Missouri House of Representatives is now considering Senate Bill 420, which will provide for computerization and automation of the Missouri state court system. The Missouri Bar supports this bill and hopes that it is approved by the Missouri House.

This legislation would provide for the desperately needed automation of the Missouri court system. The funding for this automation would come from a $7 increase in filing fees for most court cases -- essentially a "user fee." Although The Missouri Bar has been reluctant, in the past, to support the funding for statewide projects through increases in case filing fees, the bar does believe that it is appropriate for court automation.

Most other state courts are automated to the point that courthouse records can be accessed with computers outside the courthouse. In Missouri, to determine the status of a case, it is usually necessary for someone to travel to the courthouse to personally review the court file. This is not only inefficient, but results in unnecessary expenses being incurred.

Ultimately, the public suffers because our court system is not computerized. The obsolete manner in which our court records are kept contributes to the delays and expenses incurred by our citizens who are involved in the legal system. The Missouri Bar strongly urges the passage of Senate Bill 420.

W. DUDLEY McCARTER

President

The Missouri Bar