The Judiciary is one of the public institutions that will be most transformed by the speeded-up technological changes. The details are difficult to predict, but it is guaranteed that many elements of our justice system will be altered dramatically. Today, the state Judiciary is anticipating even more benefits from information systems and computer technology.
Information technology is already present in Hawaii's courtrooms.
Defendants in custody at our state's correctional institutions can appear before a judge without leaving the prison through video arraignment. Besides saving taxpayers the expense of transporting defendants to and from courthouses, video conferencing allows the courts to more efficiently schedule judges' and court staff's time. Technology also has expanded what previously was only one point of access to the Judiciary. People with cases before a court no longer have to stand in line at a counter to check the status of a case. They are now able to access that information through the Judiciary's Web site.