DeSoto County is next on the list of counties to try out the new Mississippi Electronic Court system, which will allow attorneys to file court proceedings online.
Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice William Waller Jr. traveled to DeSoto County Monday to explain the Mississippi Electronic Court pilot system to DeSoto County attorneys and legal officials.
"We're excited we have the system coming to DeSoto," said Chancery Clerk Sluggo Davis. "We've been waiting two years, and we are ready and able to make it work."
The program was tested first in Madison County where it is now mandatory in their chancery and circuit courts.
The system is similar to the federal Pacer system because it has been developed on a contract with the federal government. The state pays service fees and staff salaries.
"We felt like we needed to get into this and see which system was right for us," Waller said. "We kept coming back to the federal system because they have been using it 19 years and they spent tens of millions of dollars developing it so we thought it would be a good system."
The system has been implemented in Madsion, Scott and Warren counties and is now expanding to DeSoto, Harrison, Holmes and Yazoo counties.
Currently, only civil cases are filed online but the state is working on a system for filing criminal proceedings and expects to launch it by the end of the year.
The program will give attorneys access to their case files, allow them to file cases and will allow public access to anyone who wants to see court records.
The system will cost attorneys $10 per year and the public will be required to pay $.20 per page they view.
"This will make things more efficient as well as save time and money," said Bill Jolly of Holland Law in Horn Lake.
All filed cases will be saved in a mainframe in Jackson which is backed up in New York and Denver for increased security.
Attorneys will be able to file 24 hours per day, seven days per week and from anywhere they have internet access.
To access the online court records, go to www.mssc.state.ms.us and click on the Mississippi Electronic Courts (MEC) link on the left side of the page.