- Posted July 04, 2016
- Tweet This | Share on Facebook
Savings from videoconferencing expected to reach $4.8M in 2016
The Michigan Supreme Court announced June 22 that the deployment of videoconferencing equipment in 780 courtrooms and other hearing rooms has saved the Michigan Department of Corrections $14.7 million since 2010. Annual savings have climbed from $649,000 in FY 2011 to $4.3 million in FY 2015. Savings in FY 2016 are expected to reach $4.8 million.
"By facilitating the virtual transport of prisoners for routine hearings, videoconferencing is saving money and reducing risk statewide for the Department of Corrections," said Chief Justice Robert P. Young, Jr.
"Beyond the cost savings, benefits to local law enforcement include freeing up officers to focus on road patrol and other duties to enhance public safety."
By the end of 2016, the project is expected to achieve a goal of video equipment in every Michigan courtroom with a judge. This goal has already been achieved in 81 counties, with Wayne and Washtenaw counties to be completed this calendar year (deployment map attached below).
Since 2010, more than 18,000 state prisoners have been "transported" to court via video, and use of the video equipment is expected to grow. For example, in 2015, the Supreme Court greatly expanded the ability of trial courts to use videoconferencing equipment in civil proceedings with the adoption of MCR 2.407.
Additional revisions are now being considered by the Supreme Court to expand use of the equipment in additional types of cases and in more types of hearings. Those revisions will be one of the items on the agenda of the Supreme Court's September 2016 public hearing.
Published: Mon, Jul 04, 2016
headlines Ingham County
- Foster Swift selects Taylor A. Gast as Business & Tax Practice co-leader
- MLaw Civil-Criminal Litigation Clinic partners on suit against online “ghost gun” seller
- Law firm donates legal fees to ACLU of Michigan
- Dual JD student explores criminal defense work
- Wayne State University daylong symposium promotes civil discourse
headlines National
- 50 Years of Service: ABA has been a ‘stalwart ally’ for LSC funding
- ACLU and BigLaw firm use ‘Orange is the New Black’ in hashtag effort to promote NY jail reform
- Biden recalls time he bluffed knowledge of torts case and why he changed his mind about civil-trial work
- Lawyers’ ‘barrage of personal attacks’ on opponents started with tissue-box toss, appeals court says
- Longtime prosecutor resigns after judge tosses him from case, citing Perry Mason-type revelations
- 24% of law students expect to work in public service, survey says