How our tool will change primary data items
Primary
data items are the "building blocks" for configuration- case categories (CC,
actually PC JIMS case types), case subtypes (CT), part types (PT),
filing codes (FC), filing fees (FF), and filing components (COM). CT and FC tab changes
Goodin has updated the PC JIMS subtype list to reflect the standards (found at http://efile.illinoiscourts.gov/documents/eFileIL-Configuration-Standards-v1.0.pdf).
We have also used the standards to update the record sheet entry codes
PC JIMS has always offered for use in docketing filings. Then we set
up our own Stage configuration workbook and included all of these subtypes and filing types on the CT and FC tabs. Our tool will compare the court's configuration to ours, then:
Update CMS code where we can get a full match on the description a CT/FC entry on the client’s workbook with an entry in our workbook.- eFileIL
allows for non-standard filing codes, by setting the FC record for
court use only. Our tool will not alter these in any way.
- eFileIL does not have
a mechanism for non-standard subtypes (CT records). If the court's
config has CT records not in the standards, our tool will leave them in
the spreadsheet.
Add entries as required
- If
any of the standard CaseCategory, CaseType or FC codes are missing from the court's
configuration, we will add them. But to ensure nothing is rolled out
without the court’s approval:
- We will mark all such added CT/FC codes as not visible.
- We will not
add any entries to the CaseCategory_FilingCode tab (which controls the
PC JIMS case types which allow use of the added filing code)
- We will also add any subtypes which were in PC JIMS, but which aren't in the standards. This is required in order to e-file on a case having that subtype, because eFileIL won't allow filing on a case unless its subtype is in the configuration (as noted here). Since these subtypes aren't in the standard, they will be set to not allow case initiation.
- We will also add a special CT record made up of each case type with
an asterisk on the end (CH*, D* etc). The lack of a subtype on a case will prevent anyone from filing on the
case (as noted here). But not all
Goodin courts actually used
subtypes. So on existing cases without subtypes, our CMS interface
returns the * entry, which matches up with the * entries on the CT tab
in order to allow filings (though not case initiation).
- Filing Fee Reference Codes on existing and added records will be updated to indicate the CMS Code added to the Filing Fee table.
Consolidate the number of FC entries-
in some court configurations, there are FC entries for each case type
(each CC code). This is often, but not always, unnecessary. When
unnecessary, we had hoped to be able to consolidate filing codes. But
it turned out to be too complex a task for us to be sure we wouldn't
break something in the court's configuration in the course of
consolidating.
Filing fee (FF tab) changes
Filing
fees vary from court to court, so neither the state nor our CMS
requires a standardized list of filing fees. The fact that each court's
FF Reference Codes are used in other configuration tabs is actually the
reason that we can't just have each client use a Goodin "master"
configuration. That said, our tool will do the following on the court’s
FFs: Update CMS codes- we will replace those already in the spreadsheet with a unique code which indicates both case type and amount (e.g. MR-172). This
is a composite of the two pieces of data JIMS uses to select the
proper fee table entry to auto-distribute a civil case payment. Using
a code which includes the amount will also make it easier to verify
that a new case (CT tab) or other filing (FC tab) has the right filing fee reference. - As noted above, any related CT and FC tab FilingFeeReference code will be updated to reflect this CMS code.
Consolidate duplicate FF entries. Our CMS has always automated civil filing fee distribution based on case type and amount.
When the filing fee is the same for a counter-complaint as it is for a
complaint, many courts still seem to have two entries in the FF tab.
Our tool will consolidate such duplicates. - Flag FF entries which don't have a corresponding JIMS fee table entry
- Child
support admin fees- eFileIL allows filing fee items for optional
services, such as certified copies. Some courts have set up an optional
service item for child support admin fees. But such fees aren’t
related to a filing and the money doesn’t belong in our court CMS. So
there is no reason to have such a fee item in your eFileIL config.
Filing Component (COM tab) - Update
CMS codes, when we match a court entry to the description in our
workbook (which includes every component in the standards).
Add any of the standard COM codes which are missing, but make them not visible. No Filing Components will be added.
- Non-standard filing components in the court's configuration will not be altered in any way.
PartyType tab
On these tabs, the court config must reflect the standardized case type and party type lists we use statewide. So will copy our configuration.
CaseType_PartyTypeAgain, the court config must reflect the standardized case type and party type lists we use statewide. So will copy our configuration. Document Type tab
Our
CMS interface uses just two codes (C/Confidential and
NC/Non-Confidential). We presume that Tyler uses these same codes in
all courts, so our tool will not process this tab in any way.
Flag items which were never used at all, or unusable because they weren't associated with a case type
Flag references to non-existent items
Flag Filing Fees in the eFileIL configuration which aren't in JIMS
General notes on the configuration review tool
- Text matches will be non-case-sensitive, due to capitalization variations from court to court.
- The Reference Codes in the configuration workbooks are normally a combination of the CMS Code and Tyler's
Code ID, which varies from court to court. But in order to keep our
tool simple and run it in one pass, we plan to take the data back to the
way it was before the court first filled it in (no Tyler code IDs and
no Reference Codes). We will then populate any Reference Code column with
just our CMS code and then proceed to use that for any cross-references
as well.
- We will also try to identify cross-references which don’t exist on the primary tab (invalid foreign keys) in some way
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