COLUMBIANA CO. Web site response is positive

The system allows staffers to focus on other duties.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- Columbiana County Clerk of Courts Anthony Dattilio is pleased with public response to efforts to make court documents more available.
In May, the department made its vast legal files accessible on the Internet.
Since then, the clerk of courts Web site has tallied nearly 13,000 visits.
Those who go to www.ccclerk.org can see information on the hundreds of cases in the county's common pleas, probate, domestic relations and municipal courts.
Online information includes the status of civil and criminal cases and details on the plaintiffs, attorneys and judges. Pleas and judgment entries also are recorded.
The information has always been available, but until now, the public had to visit the courthouse to view case files.
Accessing cases
Dattilio said there's no way of knowing who is accessing cases on the Web site, but he's guessing many are attorneys checking the status of cases with which they're involved.
Before the Internet connection, attorneys often called Dattilio's staff members for information.
"Our phone calls have gone down quite a bit," Dattilio said.
With fewer interruptions, staff members have more opportunity to tend to other duties.
"Time is the essence of this office," Dattilio said. Having more of it makes the office more efficient, he said.
It cost the department about $76,000 to get the Web site established. The money came from a special fund generated by court costs paid by defendants.