The Los Angeles Superior Court (LASC) is reducing many website user fees and implementing new and improved online services to www.lacourt.org in order to encourage people to use the website rather than making a trip to the courthouse which takes time and can be costly and inconvenient.
Effective Monday, March 30, 2015, LASC will implement a new, lower fee structure for its online services.
- Registered users will be able to conduct up to 10 name searches per month at a discounted fee of $1 per search (reduced from the current fee of $4.75 per search).
- Commercial bulk users and others conducting more than 10 searches a month will continue to pay current fees.
- Fees for the purchase of online documents have also been reduced: the new fee is $1 per page for the first five pages, and 40 cents per page thereafter, up to a maximum of $40 per document. No longer is there a minimum fee of $7.50 per document.
- The convenience fee to pay traffic tickets online has been reduced to $5 per transaction (the previous fee was $1 0).
Other online services currently available include the following (see Online Services at www.lacourt.org):
- The ability to complete a variety of traffic ticket transactions such as making payments, scheduling a court date, and registering for traffic school.
- A Jury Portal through which potential jurors can register for jury service; request an excuse, postponement or new court location; and complete the required juror orientation – making reporting for jury duty easier.
- File a small claims case electronically.
MORE-MORE-MORE
- An extensive Self-Help section to assist litigants seeking procedural help with their case.
- The ability to view a detailed summary of civil, family and probate cases which includes upcoming court dates. Criminal litigants can also view case information and upcoming hearing dates.
- Litigants and attorneys can easily find the proper courthouse for filing new civil cases with the Filing Court Locator.
- Detailed listings of the services available at every courthouse.
- Attorneys can reserve court dates for certain civil hearings using the “Court Reservation System (CRS).”
- Court Reporter transcripts may be ordered online.
The new fee reductions and the introduction of an automated online assistant for help with traffic matters are part of the Court’s new “Get online, not in line” campaign, launched to encourage Court users to take advantage of the services offered on the Court’s website, saving litigants, attorneys, and others time and money.
Despite five years of state funding reductions and the elimination of one quarter of its staffing, LASC remains committed to preserving access to justice.
One way the Court is doing so is by replacing decades-old technology in an effort to enhance the range and quality of its on-line services.
On-line public access is funded through user fees that cover the costs of providing these services, per Government Code Section 68150(h) and California Rule of Court 2.506. The changes in the fee structure outlined above will enhance access to justice through more efficient and more user-friendly service.
Watch for additional enhancements to on-line services in the future. These and other changes in the way LASC does business are making it easier for people to use court services, while reducing operating expenses.
Categorized in: Legal Procedure
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