Pictured left to right: Judge Allen Hurkin-Torres, Supreme Court Justice,
Kings County; Robert D. Kalish, Chief, Brooklyn Tort Division, Office of
Corporation Counsel and Rosa Masdeu, Court Representative, Settlement
Division, Office of NYC Comptroller

New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. today announced the start of a new project to equip court representatives from his office with wireless access to more efficiently resolve claims while in the courtroom.

Under the new project, settlement representatives are being provided with laptop computers to conduct online research, access and transfer files, view images such as maps and incident reports, and print files related to claims involving the city.

"The shift from paper to laptops in the courts will greatly improve the process for negotiating and settling claims against the city and will eliminate the masses of files and boxes that court representatives transport to and from court each day," Thompson said. "Our technology will allow representatives to retrieve information directly from our database in real time, which will cut costs, save time and paper, and increase productivity."

More than one million claims files will be accessible via the laptops and will replace over 40 million paper documents. Representatives will also be connected to the Comptroller's Omnibus Automated Information Storage and Image System (OAISIS), which allows users to research activities online and expedite the resolution of a claim, labor law matter or contract registration. OAISIS contains more than ten years of city data.

"We are gratified to have engaged in this joint venture with the Comptroller's Office to ensure that vital information is immediately available in the courtroom to resolve claims quickly," First Deputy Chief Administrative Judge Ann Pfau of the Office of Court Administration said. "This will help to expedite the court process and serve the best interests of all parties."

  The project recently launched in Bronx and Kings County Supreme Courts after a year of planning, and will expand to the other boroughs later this year.

The project is a collaborative effort between the Comptroller's Office, the New York State Office of Court Administration (OCA) and the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DOITT).

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