Pennsylvania county fully implements videoconferencing in court system
As reported by this blog, many court systems and other government services are beginning to implement videoconferencing services into their operations. These technological advances have allowed many counties and cities to save funds during a down economy. One of the most recent examples comes from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
When the Montgomery Court system implemented videoconferencing services in 2001 it saved $136,000 from inmate transportation costs, according to the Times Herald, a local paper. The year after, the county saved an additional $50,000 holding over 1,197 hearings via videoconferencing services.
"I anticipate growth in all areas of videoconferencing in the upcoming year because the program has now become an integral part of the daily court routine," Sharon Drach, the county's video technology manager, told the source. "Cost-saving benefits, courthouse safety and outside revenue are concrete benefits of the success of videoconferencing in the courtroom."
According to the source, it costs the court system $193.40 roundtrip to transport an inmate to a courthouse for a hearing. This cost includes both gas and personnel.
From then on the savings just snowballed, with hearings and depositions being telecommunicated, the county saved $1.1 million in 2011 alone. As many as 2,365 videoconferences took place. Similar to the Philadelphia court system's use of videoconferencing, this has allowed Montgomery County judges and lawyers to accomplish more during a typical workday for a smaller overall cost than before.
As videoconferencing is steadily on the rise in court systems nationwide, lawyers and judges in the Midwest may want to partner with Wisconsin court reporters that offer video deposition services. By doing so, they will be able to efficiently meet with clients and other parties.
