Police may soon be able to directly e-file charges.

Allowing law enforcement officers to electronically submit criminal charges in the Florida courts' e-filing system and speeding up judges' abilities to electronically issue orders and conduct other business occupied the Florida Court Technology Commission at its August Tallahassee meeting.

The commission approved the recommendation of its Criminal Case Initiation Workgroup, chaired by 17th Circuit Judge Martin Bidwill, to prepare a survey for the state's 67 clerks of court asking them for advice on allowing police to electronically file criminal cases. The workgroup also will discuss the issue with the Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association, the Florida Sheriffs Association, and local law enforcement agencies.

FCTC Chair and Ninth Circuit Judge Lisa Munyon explained some of the advantages of an electronic system.

"If I'm doing first appearances, theoretically if there's no review process slowing down the [filed] images to the court, it could be automated to set up the first appearance document and accessible to the judge immediately, as opposed to getting a pile of paper," she said at the workgroup's August meeting.

In response to how such a system might work and how long it would take to set up, Carolyn Weber, the portal projects manager for the Florida Courts E-Filing Authority, which manages the statewide e-filing portal, said the optimal system would take some time.

Bidwill asked if it would be possible, as a jail booking officer filled out the normal arrest information, if that could automatically be sent through the portal to clerks. Weber said the portal is not set up to coordinate with police at the moment and making that change will take some time. However, setting up an interim system where the police could separately send the information, perhaps attaching the booking sheet, could be done fairly quickly, she said.

Bidwill said the survey will probably be in two parts, first to clerks to get their feedback and then to law enforcement, state attorneys, clerks and other stakeholders to develop more detailed information.

The full FCTC voted to take that approach.

Electronic Orders

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