Oakland County, Michigan, November 29, 2006 -- A new online service that will allow Oakland County residents to order Oakland County Circuit Court records online was unveiled today by Ruth Johnson, Clerk/Register, and Wendy Potts, Chief Judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court.

Court Explorer, which may be accessed by any home or office computer with internet service, will allow users to view, for free, case information in civil, domestic and felony criminal cases. Information will include the case summary, the parties named in the documents and the names of their attorneys. There is an additional charge to order individual court documents.

"As much as we like to see everyone, it's our pleasure to save them the trip down to the County Courthouse," said Johnson. "Documents can be ordered online, which will mean shorter lines for the residents who must come here."

Chief Judge Wendy Potts said information can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Records may be accessed by name or case number.

"Citizens, as well as attorneys, will have a convenient system they can use to access information they need anywhere and anytime," Potts said.

Only public documents will be available through Court Explorer. They may also be viewed by anyone visiting the County Courthouse at 1200 N. Telegraph in Pontiac.

Court records dating as far back as the 1970's may be accessed, though documents my be unavailable to order online, depending on their filing date. As many as 3,000-4,000 pages of legal/court documents are filed every day with the Oakland County Clerk's Office.

John F. Schaefer, president of the Oakland County Bar Association, called the program convenient and money-saving and said it will mean a great deal to the legal community.

"It's a terrific service for the bar because now if you need documents, even if your office is relatively close, it means driving there, parking, going in line and waiting. The public will have improved access too, 24 hours a day."

Phil Bertolini, Oakland County's Chief Information Officer, said the benefits of the new program are clear.

"The Court Explorer program, through the use of modern technology, allows individuals to access public information without having to leave their home or office," Bertolini said.

The online service is the latest in joint projects between the Clerk's Office, Oakland County Circuit Court officials and the county's Information Technology leaders. The three offices worked together earlier this year on a pilot eFiling program that allowed attorneys to file legal documents electronically. Officials are currently exploring ways to expand the "paperless" courtroom.

Court Explorer can be accessed at www.oakgov.com/clerkrod/courtexplorer/. Copies are $1.00 per page. The cost for certified copies is $10.00 per case number, plus $1.00 per page. An enhanced access fee, starting at $2.50, will be added when the order is finalized.

Copies, except for certified copies, will be sent by standard mail or email within two business days of the request.

For those without computer access, friendly clerks with the Oakland County Clerk's Office will be happy to offer their assistance to customers at (248) 858-0582.