Model Court Rules for the use of Facsimile Technology by State Courts

• NCJ Number: 148294
• Author(s): S R Koenig; F G Miller; F M Russillo
• Date Published: 1992
• Length: 32 pages
• Grant Number(s): SJI-89-06F-B-023
• Sponsoring Agency: State Justice Institute
• Corporate Author: National Ctr for State Courts
• Sale Source: National Ctr for State Courts; National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Technical Assistance)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This report presents the findings of a study of the feasibility, usefulness, and effects of facsimile technology on courts and proposes model court rules for the use of this technology by State courts.

Abstract

Study data came from visits to 13 courts in five States, a mail survey of 1,008 attorneys in four judicial districts in three of the study states, and a survey of the State administrative office of the courts in each State. Results revealed that the fax has an increasingly important role in communication between courts and attorneys. Filing of court documents has gained acceptance by many attorneys who find it adds an extra measure of convenience when other delivery methods are more expensive or time-consuming. Fax filing of court documents is feasible for the courts, provided the courts have proper fax equipment and develop rules and procedures to control the process and to minimize additional work for clerks' offices. Fax has become an important means of communication for judges, attorneys, and judicial district administrators in the large rural judicial districts in the study. Above all, fax promotes accessibility of the courts for attorneys, litigants, and justice system agencies. The proposed rules include definitions and other general provisions, filing procedures, the service of process, and search warrants.