Huron court records enter digital age

HURON — For years, attorneys, law enforcement officials and community members pleaded with the Huron Municipal Court to go digital.Their verbal petition to the court recently came to fruition.A yearlong project in which city workers uploaded thousands of court documents, dating back to 1998, just went live.The website, limited to court proceedings in Huron, allows anyone with internet access to:• View ongoing court case statuses• Search past decisions and related documentation• Look up an individual person's criminal history• Pay court fines, such as speeding tickets• Download forms requiring the court's permission, such as an eviction notice, before coming down to City Hall for written approval"This it to improve the accessibility for the public where people can go online and get information," said city clerk of courts Julie Ortega, who spearheaded the project starting in February. "People who don't have access to computers can still come to our office and get this information."Anyone can use the system, available at huronmunicourt.us."It's a benefit for additional transparency," city prosecutor Laura Alkire said. "We are one of the only local courts that didn't have court records online. This is bringing us into the 21st century." Reach reporter Andy Ouriel at ouriel@sanduskyregister.com and follow him on Twitter @AndyOuriel.