Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts

Press Release

CONTACT: Tom Darr 717-795-2026

January 3, 1997 - In a step designed to improve internal and external communication, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has begun posting its decisions and opinions on the Internet.

Effective January 1, 1997, all decisions and opinions handed down by the Supreme Court are being posted by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC) on the Judiciary's Website at http://www.cerf.net/penna-courts.

Chief Justice John P. Flaherty said, "Posting decisions and opinions on the Internet is another example of the Supreme Court's continued efforts to be in the vanguard of those states utilizing automation to provide enhanced services. This will make the Supreme Court's decisions and opinions available much more quickly to those individuals who are interested in the Court's rulings."

Posting of decisions and opinions after appropriate notification of litigants, will enable members of the legal community and educational institutions, the media, and other interested individuals to down-load the rulings when they are entered on the Judiciary's home page. Decisions and opinions also will be available at libraries having access to the Internet. Printed copies will continue to be available from the appropriate Supreme Court Prothonotary offices in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg.

Publishing decisions and opinions on the AOPC's home page will make the full text of the rulings available quicker to a greater number of people and also enable the Supreme Court's Prothonotary to eliminate much of the costly expense of mailing written decisions and opinions to a variety of non-judicial recipients. Individuals and organizations now receiving written copies of the Supreme Court's decisions and opinions will be notified of the change and informed of the home page address so they can take advantage of the electronic availability of the rulings. Printed copies of the Supreme Court decisions and opinions still will be mailed to Common Pleas Court President Judges because most local courts do not have Internet access.

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Decisions, Opinions Posted on Internet Page 2

Expanded use of automation to provide better service is not new to the Supreme Court. In 1992 the Supreme Court gained national recognition when it completed on budget, on time the automation of all district justice offices throughout Pennsylvania. The Supreme Court remains a strong advocate for expansion of statewide judicial computerization to include all trial courts.