Going to court, online

GAINESVILLE - Hall County Magistrate Court is implementing an "online" filing system for complaints and answers, and landlord/tenant issues and responses.

Chief Magistrate Gene Roberts says it will not involve criminal cases.

Officials with nCourt.com, through which the service is provided, say it means the court will be one of few in the country capable of "true online filing."

"...we could be able to do this probably within a month after setting up all the parameters that we need for all our civil filings to go electronic," Judge Roberts said.

Roberts said the decision to offer online filings was not reached without some concern on the part of his staff.

That concern, he said, included a need for assurance that filing fees would be trasnferred to the court in a timely manner by the vendor.

"We do not want Hall County to be out any monies because of this," Judge Roberts said.

Filing fees will be paid by credit card by those using the service.

Forsyth County Magistrate Court is also implementing the program.