State courts get $7 million for technology

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The goal is to bring together cases from municipal, summary and circuit courts into one place, Toal said. That would allow for better background checks and reduce manpower and paper needs. The problem is that each county has its own system of managing court dockets.

"The point is to develop a system that will allow citizens, victims and the general public to have much more accurate and freer access to the court system," she said. "And to enable all managers in the system to have this tool."

U.S. Sen. Ernest Hollings, D-S.C., announced the Justice Department grant Friday. Hollings, who recently announced he is not seeking re-election, is the current ranking member of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee funding the Commerce, Justice and State departments.

Implementing a technology-based system has been one of Toal's main goals since she became the state top judge in March 2000, she said.

However, statewide funding cuts have hindered the advances.

In the past three years, the budget has been cut from $43 million to $32 million, which is not enough to pay salaries, she said.

Toal has limited the rotation of circuit judges, which is required in the state constitution, as well as the use of retired judges to hear cases.

In addition, funding has been slashed for public defenders and solicitors' staffs statewide, she said. All of this has increased the criminal case backlog.

The state has been using increased fees on civil cases and surcharges on tickets to help make up the money losses, Toal said.

"We are barely keeping our head above water," Toal said.

Hollings secured a one-year $3.2 million federal grant in January 2002 that helped implement the pilot programs for the case management system. Greenville and Pickens were two of the pilot counties.

Toal said the system would have collapsed by now if it weren't for the federal funds.

John Boyanoski can be reached at 298-4065.