In today’s economy, every penny saved is a penny
earned; this saying is especially true when it comes to the Michigan court
system. As Michigan’s courts attempt to provide an exceptional level of service,
there is an equal struggle to save court funds. Thankfully, there are a
multitude of free resources the courts can use to help perform everyday duties.
The following are a few examples of free resources:
· Software
There is a vast amount of free software
available for any office to utilize. Some of the more well-known programs such
as Google Docs and Abiword include software for word processing, and is
compatible with most operating systems. However, programs like WPS Office Free,
Apache Open Office, SoftMaker Free Office, and SSuite Office Premium are
programs comparable to Microsoft Office.
· Conference Call
Just like there is a
vast amount of free computer software programs, there is an equal amount of
free conference call platforms that enable individuals to voice or video
conference with one another. Some of the most notable conference call software programs
are Google Hangouts and Skype, which allows you to connect with multiple people
in video conferencing; however, both sites have a limited amount of people that
you can connect. Furthermore, there are a multitude of new, free platforms that
allow you to connect with numerous amounts of people in a conference call. Programs
such as Free Bridge, Rehuddle, Free Conference Calling, and Open Voice enable
users to connect with 25 or more people in a conference call on a more secure
network than Google Hangouts or Skype.
· Survey Tools
Surveys enable courts to measure a
variety of different issues, including the quality of customer service. Today’s
ever-changing market has provided cost-efficient ways to collect survey data for
free. Some of these resources, such as Survey Monkey and SoHo, will provide
free surveys, but only up to 100 respondents. Survey sites like Polls
Everywhere limit responses to the first 25. However, survey platforms such as Google
Forms and Survey Planet provide unlimited surveys questions and responses
absolutely free.
· Legal Research
For those who need to
search case law, the One Court of Justice and the State Bar of Michigan websites
each offer access to Michigan appellate cases. Google Scholar, Case maker X,
Fast Case, and Legal Information Institute are some of the free resources out
there. For additional resources, Duke University’s Law library contains a list
of free legal resources that are available.
Listed below are the links to the available resources discussed:
· Facilities
The Hall of Justice was
designed to accommodate training conferences. The conference rooms in the
training center are available to court associations for their meetings, as long
as there is one member from the judiciary in attendance who serves as the
contact for the meeting. Court associations may reserve conference rooms by
contacting Trial Court Services (TCS) (517-373-4835). Similarly, the State Bar
Association (517-346-6300) will allow Michigan attorneys to reserve rooms for
meeting at its building, which is located in downtown Lansing.
· Management Consultation
At the request of a chief judge and
with the approval of a regional administrator, SCAO offers management
consultation services, which can include providing a statistical analysis of a
court, financial audits, full process mapping, and recommending ways to improve
internal process. Upon completion, SCAO creates a report advising the court on
strategies to improve its administrative services.
· Training
The Michigan Judicial Institute
offers free training on a multitude of topics. To discover information about upcoming
trainings, you can access that information on the MJI website: www.mjieducation.mi.gov. MJI also produces benchbooks, flowcharts, and
other publications as well.
