SOUTHFIELD — ImageSoft Inc., the Southfield-based document and process management software developer, announced that the Tuscola County Probate Court had adopted its content management system, OnBase by Hyland.
The company said the system allows the county to eliminate paper storage, improves access to case files, and transitions probate operations to a digital environment.
Electronic files facilitate an electronic workflow, enabling clerks to pull tabbed case files, simply by keying in a name or case number, and attach notes on certain documents before routing it all to the judge via a secure, digital queue.
“Until recently, we had to keep every file and weren’t able to get rid of any paper. Our court was running out of storage space,” said Janie Diegel, Probate Register at Tuscola County Probate Court. “Now that everything is scanned in, we can finally get rid of the paper and clear some storage space. Best yet, the judge will now manage hearings without any physical files because she’ll be on a computer, and we can quickly print off everything our customers need.”
This paperless process supports the judge on several levels, including remote access to their work, which means no longer lugging around paper. Aside from mobility, the electronic, centralized storage empowers the judge with greater visibility into case information and how it’s being managed. With the click of a button, judges can also create court orders, which are automatically populated with case caption information in an editable Word format.
“Once the Word document is edited to the judge’s standard, he or she can click another button to eSign and save it,” said Andrea Dahl, solutions architect at ImageSoft. “This point-and-click communication eliminates any physical back-and-forth between the judges and clerks when reviewing or signing documents.”
A critical piece of the Probate system is integration on several levels with JIS, a comprehensive court information system. Once the clerk initiates a new probate case in JIS, a double-click will transfer the data into OnBase, creating an electronic “case jacket” and outdating the days of having to manually make and store labels or file folders. As court documents are scanned into OnBase, the documents are reviewed and electronically accepted or rejected. If accepted, OnBase will electronically stamp the document as received or filed, place it within the appropriate case jacket, automatically update the JIS system with all requisite codes and judge assignments, and enter into the Register of Actions (the list of activity on a case in proceedings) with the click of a button.
ImageSoft’s e-filing, workflow, and e-bench products include TrueFiling for e-filing, OnBase by Hyland for workflow and electronic case files, aiSmartbench by Mentis for judges, and other supporting technologies.
More at www.imagesoftinc.com.