County and circuit courts have online search portals that allow the public to access court case records. Depending on the court, the information is free of charge to anyone who accesses the system. Some courts allow users to print the information from the online portal, while others require users to request court documents for a fee.
Most online search portals for court documents are known as Public Case Access portals that are managed by Odyssey. Odyssey is a court case management system that courts use to perform court administration functions online.
What is Public Case Access?
Public Case Access is the online court management software provided by Tyler Technologies. This software allows courts to streamline their administration process using an online portal and allowing various levels of access to users. The levels are based on public access, attorney access, and court administration access.
Using this online search portal allows users to perform the following functions:
- Perform online court case searches
- Attach court documents and notes
- File court cases
- Enter court events and hearings
- Perform court administration duties
- View and access the Clerk of Court’s Register of Actions for court cases
- Locate, view, and print forms needed for court cases
- Pay court fines and calculate court costs and fees
This software has an option for court administrators to utilize the virtual court function. This function provides remote hearings for courts that opt-in to this service.
How It Works
Depending on the login that the user selects the way the software works is by allowing users to perform functions related to the type of login that the user accesses. Here is a summary of what can be found when accessing each login:
Attorney login- The attorney login is designed for state and district attorneys, trial lawyers, and public defenders. Access at this level allows individuals to generate documents, perform court case searches, access the register of actions, and update court cases.
Public user- As a public user, you have access to court cases, electronic filing of court documents, and court information.
Court administrator- This access is only given to court clerks and their staff. It allows the individual to maintain and manage court cases filed in their court.
For detailed information access your court’s online search portal.
Who Can Use Case Access?
Anyone can access the public case access portal. There are separate logins depending on the type of user access the program. The separate logins provide access to different interfaces supported by the system.
How to Find Public Case Access
To find out if your county court’s online court case search portal is administered by Odyssey, you will need to go to the court’s website or contact the court. If the online search portal is supported by Odyssey, you will be directed to the court case search interface when you click on the “search court case records” link.
About Public Case Access
This program is part of Odyssey which is part of Tyler Technologies. They are based out of Plano, TX, and provide services for different areas of government. The Courts and Justice system that is used by courts nationwide is part of the case management system interface that is offered by the company.