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Federal Courts Speed Up Secure System After Hack
11 Mar
Summary
- Judicial policymakers are accelerating a new electronic case management system development.
- A major hack last summer highlighted the urgent need for system upgrades.
- The modernized system aims for full implementation within two to three years.
Federal judicial policymakers have announced accelerated plans to develop a new, more secure electronic case management system. This decision follows a major cyber breach experienced last summer, which emphasized the urgent necessity for upgrading the current aging system. The judiciary's top policymaking body, the U.S. Judicial Conference, identified the modernization project as a key focus during its recent meeting.
Circuit Judge Michael Scudder stated that the project's timeline is being expedited due to the cyber incidents. Initial software testing is scheduled for six courts this year, with a phased rollout in district courts anticipated for next year. The goal is for the majority of updates to be completed within two to three years.
A critical aspect of the upgrade involves improving the search functionality of the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system. While lawmakers have advocated for making PACER free, the judiciary indicates that PACER fees will continue to fund approximately 85% of the modernization project in the short term.
