The system, available for the First Circuit Court's civil cases starting with January filings, is available free to the public at the state circuit court building. Hawaii Microfilm Services Inc., the firm that has put the system in place, said it plans to make complete civil case files back to 1995 available shortly.
Lawyers and others needing to research cases can subscribe to the service through Hawaii Microfilm Services. Subscribers, who will pay either $2 a minute plus $100 a month or a flat $3 a minute rate, will be able to access the court records 24 hours a day, seven days a week, said Chang H. Shin, one of the company's officers.
Users will be able to retrieve documents such as docket sheets, pleadings and motions almost instantly from the terminals in the circuit court's information services room, said Michael Broderick, the judiciary's administrative director.
The documents are stored as a special computer image or electronic photograph in a proprietary process used by Hawaii Microfilm Services.
"Storing and retrieving documents on the computer will save staff time, storage space and help preserve the original form of the legal documents," said Nathaniel Kim, First Circuit Court administrator.
Lawrence Foster, dean of the University of Hawaii law school, called the concept "marvelous," pointing to attorneys who need to do legal research in how other lawyers handled a case.
"An attorney may hear that a similar case was also filed, this would let the attorney check how it was handled," he said.
The public can use the system free of charge during regular court business hours, while those who want to pay can get it via a modem anytime.
Company officials estimated their investment at $500,000. Court officials said the system was put in place without charge to the courts, so the company is responsible for upgrading the equipment and scanning in the documents.