(WAND)- The Illinois Supreme Court has approved new Rule 14, allowing the expansion of text messaging in Illinois courts.
New Rule 14 authorizes any Illinois court or county clerk to implement a text message notification program. It is being implemented immediately.
"The pandemic has forced courts to innovate more rapidly than ever before to develop new efficiencies while also maintaining the health and safety of court users," Chief Justice Burke said. "This new rule provides guidance to courts throughout the state for consistent adoption of this program, which has worked successfully in several jurisdictions."
New Rule 14, was first proposed by the Illinois Judicial Conference's Court Access and Dispute Resolution Task Force and is intended to provide statewide consistency regarding electronic communication.
Illinois circuit courts using text messaging programs to communicate with litigants include Cook, McHenry, Winnebago, and several other counties.
Jurisdictions within Illinois that have initiated text messaging programs already report reductions in failure to appear rates.
According to Task Force Chair and Fourth District Appellate Court Clerk Carla Bender, "the new Supreme Court Rule will provide an additional method for courts to use to communicate with patrons safely without person to person contact."Â Â
"By adoption of this Rule, the Supreme Court is facilitating electronic communication through an inexpensive intervention which will serve to assist people in getting to court and avoiding the serious repercussions of failure to appear."
Text messaging programs are a supplement and not a substitute for any notification required by Supreme Court Rule and any failure to participate in a text messaging program will not be considered or used as evidence against the person in any court proceeding.
Participants will be afforded the ability to opt out of the program at any time.
The phone information provided and collected for the purpose of inclusion in a text message notification program under the new Rule will not be made part of the official public court record and shall not be utilized for any other purpose.
