Government technology consultant 18F said in a report circulated to courts Monday that the federal courts need a new case management and electronic filing system (article available here).
According to the repor, 18F's analysis found the current system, CM/ECF does not satisfy the needs of users or the courts and some components are becoming obsolete. The 11-week analysis included researching and interviewing a variety of system users.
In addition to recommending a brand new case filing system, 18F also suggested the judiciary solicit feedback on the findings, review the structural needs for adopting a new system, and make arrangements for funding, the report said. If those steps and others are met, 18F expect a pilot of the new system to be available for courts in three years and aim to have at least 50% of courts migrated to that system in six years.
While the system was the best technology available at the time it was built, “broader technology trends have changed significantly in the last 20+ years and the judiciary’s technology and process needs are very different today,” 18F said in its report.
The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, which assists the federal courts with non-litigation business, shared the analysis from 18F with Congress and is discussing options for a path forward.