Vermilion County Circuit Clerk Dennis Gardner is applauding changes in technology that he says continue to improve the local court system. Gardner talked about those changes Wednesday on WDAN Radio’s Newsmakers program. ‘’January 1st, you can’t just walk into my office and file a paper. It will all be done online,’’ says Gardner.
He adds E-citations are coming to Vermilion County, too, where officers will be able to enter tickets into their squad cars’ computer terminal…instead of writing them out by hand.
Gardner has already started E-filing of court papers in his office adding he has not made it mandatory yet. He says the E-filing is going well and that his employees like it. ‘’We’re heading toward a paperless courthouse is where we’re headed. And eventually the judges and the attorneys, at their tables, will have all the files right in front of them on a laptop, or a monitor, or something. But that’s where we’re headed,’’ says Gardner.
The Vermilion County Circuit Clerk is known by many people as a former DARE officer for the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Department. He says it is a challenge to keep up with constant changes in the state statutes that are being made by Illinois lawmakers. ‘’I have to be ready to interpret what’s coming out of Springfield. And luckily, with the State’s Attorney’s Office – Jacqueline’s office – they’re very helpful because I’ve got the option of going to Bill Donahue for clarifications and things like that, because you know how these bills are written.’’
Gardner was referring to Vermilion County State’s Attorney Jacqueline Lacy and Assistant State’s Attorney Bill Donahue. You can listen to the complete program with Gardner by going to the homepage of VermilionCountyFirst.com.
