Virginia Circuit Courts Statewide Report on Audit dated September 27, 2006

VIRGINIA CIRCUIT COURT SYSTEMSREPORT ON AUDITDATEDSEPTEMBER 27, 2006 AUDIT SUMMARY An enterprise approach to the development of Circuit Court administrative systems does not exist. No group or agency has the statutory authority to ensure both enterprise-wide data exchange standards and the collaboration of system development efforts among the individual courts. The need to maximize the use of funds is essential since Circuit Court Clerks have significant resources available to begin implementing systems to manage various administrative functions. Although the Virginia Constitution makes the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court the administrative head of the judicial system, he does not have the statutory authority to coordinate and oversee the development of administrative systems with the Circuit Courts. Additionally, the current statutes are silent as to whether for administrative purposes the individual circuit courts comprise a Circuit Court system which would then allow for the development of an enterprise system. If the Circuit Courts do represent an enterprise, then there is the opportunity to provide uniform system development and data exchange standards. To maximize the use of available resources, eliminate potential duplication of efforts and system development and improve the oversight of funding usage, a summary of some of our recommendations is below. • The General Assembly may wish to develop a strategic direction for the ...