AUSTIN, Texas — A $43,000 grant to study the telecommunications and computing needs of rural judicial districts in Texas has been awarded to faculty at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at The University of Texas at Austin.
The study will focus on two case study sites in West Texas and the Panhandle. They are the 143rd judicial district in Monahans (including Reeves, Ward and Loving counties) and the 31st judicial district in Wheeler (including Gray, Lipscomb, Hemphill, Wheeler and Roberts counties). The grant was awarded by the Texas Office of Court Administration and the Judicial Commission on Information Technology.
Dr. Sanda Erdelez and Dr. Philip Doty of the graduate school faculty will interview judges, clerks, court administrators, court reporters and prosecutors. They will determine how information is managed today and how computers and telecommunications technology could increase effectiveness and efficiency in the administration of justice and the management of court cases.
The researchers will study district courts, county courts at law, county courts, justice courts and municipal courts with responsibility for criminal, juvenile, family and civil disputes. The study continues work of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science work on legal information networks and policy.
The final report is scheduled for completion this fall.
