Kelly
St. Clair County Circuit Clerk Brendan Kelly said he expects civil case information will be available online by the end of the year.
According to a press release from Kelly's office, information involving criminal division cases will be available online in October.
It is the first time that case histories and clerk documents will be available on the office's Web site.
In criminal cases, searches can be conducted using defendant, ticket number, and other criteria.
Civil cases will be searchable after a major system upgrade in the coming months. The press release calls the coming upgrade of the FACTS system "the first step towards electronic civil courtrooms."
The clerk's office is also pursuing e-filing. An application to start an e-filing program is under review with the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts. That office already monitors e-filing pilot programs in Cook, Will, DuPage and Madison counties.
St. Clair County will seek to use the system employed in Will and DuPage counties.
Other reforms in the clerk's office include e-mail contact information for all clerks and supervisors. Direct phone numbers for the individual clerks have been posted on the office's Web site.
Attorneys will also be able to apply for bond refunds by direct deposit in October. The goal is to decrease refund times.