By Associated Press - Thursday, June 7, 2018

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - State court records are going to be made available to the public - for a fee - when they go online as part of a $15 million electronic system, Chief Justice Leigh Saufley said Thursday.

The new system will be internet-based, allowing remote access to court documents, such as schedules, motions and decisions, said Saufley, who compared it to the federal judiciary’s online record system that has been in place for years. Subscribers pay a per-page fee under that system.

Saufley made the unexpected announcement as a hearing on proposed rules submitted by a task force on transparency and privacy got underway in Augusta.

News organizations including The Associated Press were advocating for open access after the task force recommended against making documents public.

Saufley’s announcement “is great news and a good thing for the public and everyone who is concerned with an open, transparent and accountable court system,” said Sigmund D. Schutz, an attorney and board member of the Maine Freedom of Information Coalition.

The state signed a contract to install a new electronic system with Tyler Technologies in 2016 and it is expected to take several years to be implemented.

Some lawyers had argued that access should be limited because of privacy concerns, and the task force recommended that remote public access should be limited to the dockets.

Saufley’s announcement ended any debate over public access, but there are still details to be worked out including fees and exemptions.

She suggested that the state supreme court might make some recommendations about whether to expand categories of files that are confidential. Most juvenile records and divorce cases involving kids are currently excluded from public access.

Saufley said Thursday the revised rules would be available on the court’s website early this fall and public comment on them would be sought.

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